The Beast of Tartarus
by Lexus77
Summary: The foul mouthed unstable little brother returns but he also carries a huge threat with him. What will happen to Equestria and everypony? One thing is for sure, there will be carnage, there will be fights and there will be...BURGERS (character appearances and references from other shows, movies, games and others) PROFANITY INCLUDED lol
1. Chapter 1 : The Enigma

**Chapter 1 : The Enigma**

**A/N : Okay, deep breath *ahem*. Welcome to the first chapter of this fanfic which will center on the rouge little brother of Celestia and Luna who was imprisoned in Tartarus for 13 years. I would tell you more about how he escaped but then it would be a spoiler. Enough said, read and enjoy...the story and the foods that come along with it**

**Story Guide:**

**Chapter 1 – 12 : Wrath of Azel to his return to his old life and his eventual acceptance**

**Chapter 13 – 16 : Bane problems in the human world (Equestria Girls)**

**Chapter 17 – 24 : Cyling Invasion and the attack of Tirek (Season 4)**

**Chapter 25 - 29: Bane's final plans (Rainbow Rocks)**

**Chapter 30 – 33 : Problems from the human world**

**Chapter 34 : Characters**

Let's get this started with a Lord Illidan quote, shall we?

Betrayer...But it was I who was betrayed

I was furious...13 years in Tartarus was enough to make anypony go batshit crazy. I was thrown into the hellhole because of something I did not fucking do.

Insanity, a Heath Ledger Joker wannabe was the real reason that I was imprisoned. I'll get to that later cause you know...spoilers

Anyways, here I was, standing outside the gates of Tartarus. My longing for my home and Chicken Nuggets had gone and been replaced by a desire for vengeance and burgers. I was pretty much addicted to junk food for my whole life and Chicken Nuggets were the main cause...but enough of that shit

I stared into my reflection in a nearby stream and saw a grey changeling with crimson eyes and spikes and shit looking back at me.

This wasn't Azel...this was Hatred, my alter-ego which developed when I finally decided to let go of six years ago. Actually, it was just another one of my transformations but it was the one that kinda cemented my legacy in the history of Tartarus.

Five hundred and ninety one murders and a few miles of galloping later, I could see Ponyville coming into sight. I remembered Cerberus running off to the place before and the inevitable chaos that ensued due to absence of the guard dog.

Tirek told me to escape with me but I declined. I wanted to fucking get back only when I was sure I would be able to bring the fucking sun under my control. The weakened centaur simply shrugged before he and several other inmates left me.

"_Dun dun dun another one bites the dust_

_dun dun dun another one bites the dust..."_

I began singing as I cleaned myself of any nether dust left on me.

"This might fuck shit up", I chuckled before I changed back to my original form. Hatred was a pretty horrifying creature to look at and I definitely wouldn't want mass hysteria when I returned to kill Celestia

With a quick spell, I reverted back to my old self. An icy white unicorn with a blood red mane and tail and a purple and black galaxy for a cutie mark. Wait...if I guard my cutie mark, does that make me the guardian of the galaxy?

As I got mindlessly lost in my train of thought, I bumped into an apple tree

"Fuck", I mumbled before the apples caught my blue eyes, "Well, what do you know?", I smirked, kicking two apples off and grabbing them with my front hooves.

"Grrrrr...", I heard the unmistakable roar of a manticore nearby as I ate one of the apples

"Bah, go fuck yourself", I grumbled as the manticore jumped in front of me. I could see that there was a thorn on its neck and that was what probably made it go cranky or something

For a second, I could have sworn I heard a pony squeak in fear. Discarding that, I turned to the manticore that had pounced on top of me. It pinned me down and its claws had sunk deep inside my front hooves causing blood to ooze out like ketchup oozing out of a stuffed burger.

My response was that of indifference i.e., I gave no fucks. After being chained away for so long and since I mainly used them in my fights, blood was no stranger to me.

"Dumbass", I grinned as its eyes widened

The next moment, the manticore roared in pain as it backed away, quickly pulling its claws out of my hooves. Shaking the blood off of my hooves, I continued to drive the thorn deeper into its neck, enjoying every micrometer it went inside. Soon, the roars of pain stopped, the manticore was fucking dead and out.

Pretending like nothing had fucking happened, I continued eating the other apple while thinking of the reasons why Celestia did not even gave me, her brother, a visit. I tried to hate her even more but I realized my Hatred could not grow anymore.

Sighing, I finished the apple before standing on top of the manticore's lifeless body.

"Death...I will always cheat you...yes I know, I owe you some fifty bits or something", I said between bites.

"O—oh no", I heard a feminine voice cry out. I turned my head slowly and saw a yellow pegasus with a pink mane holding her hooves to her mouth.

"Damn it", I growled. Iwas about to devour the creature's body, now I had to deal with this newcomer. It was not that I needed to eat meat; I just wanted to see what manticore burger tastes like.

"I-Is it dead?", the pegasus asked. I nodded an answer as I stepped off the carcass. "Y-your hooves!", she turned her attention to me. I did not attempt to hide the small wounds.

She held my hoof which took me a bit by surprise and examined it. "P-please follow me, y-you're i-injured and I'll help you", she gestured me to follow her.

"It's nothing", I said, not taking my eyes off the manticore. "All that meat...and I am going to leave it all because a pegasus saw me", I thought.

The pegasus squeaked again, this time I knew it was probably because I stared at the carcass, drooling all the while.

"Uh...Let's go", I took the lead, I could see that despite attaining my original form, she did not recognize me. Probably it was because I was banished when she was just a little filly and a tad too young to remember it.

"D-Does it hurt?", she asked me as we neared our destination.

"Not at all", I replied, still trying to show no emotion at all.

The two of us reached our destination before long. It was a house in which all assortments of critters were present. My mouth watered a bit but I managed to keep a straight face.

"P-Please sit down while I get a bandage", the mare left as she directed me to a couch.

The place, albeit housing the little creatures inside, was not such a bad home to live in. "M-Make yourself at home", she smiled. "Home", the word echoed in my mind. It was a long time since I heard that word.

"G-Give me your hoof please", she asked. I obliged without any hesitation. "T-the wounds are not that deep so it will heal quickly", she said as she finished covering my front hooves with bandages.

"Thank you". And I realized I just said the two words I had never heard for 13 years. The last time I heard, it was when Twilight Velvet and Night Light were thanked by my sister for saving her.

"You're welcome", she smiled without fear for the first time since we met. I couldn't blame her. If I was just a normal pony and I suddenly came across a strange pony that had just killed a manticore, I would've freaked out.

As she let me alone to put back the excess bandages, I could not help but notice a bunny who was staring straight at me.

"Fuck you!", I glared back with all my hatred in a joking way causing it to shiver in fear. I smirked as I saw the bunny hop away; I had not lost my touch.

Seeing that no pony was in sight, I tried my hand at transforming again. The thing about my transformations was that even though they were perfect, they had a drawback.

If I was startled while I was concentrating, I would be stuck in that form for two days. But, at least I mastered telepathy aka mind linking so I could tell anypony who I really was if things went wrong.

First I transformed into a red dragon, then a manticore and finally a human. Yep, I had seen a human before. During my time at Tartarus, I displaced my mind to the human world where I could see what they were.

Basically, they were monkeys without a tail and only had hair on their head though some had small amounts of hair on their chests, arms and legs. They walked upright, on two legs and had a highly advanced brain. Also, they wore clothes at all times so it was hard to see what was beneath their clothing. And like me, they had a craving for junk food.

And most of the male adolescents had a strong dislike for someone name Justin Beaver or shit. I was kinda confused about what they said about him. Some said he was a girl...boggled my mind a bit, to be honest.

As I tried to figure out what clothes I should wear as a human, a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane darted in. And as I feared, she broke my concentration.

"Damn", I cursed. Now I had to be a human, a creature never before seen in Equestria, for two days.

"Flutters...what the hay are you!?", the pegasus yelled as she saw me.

"Boo", I said in annoyance. Interestingly though, she took a fighting stance rather than running away or in her case flying away.

"Where's Fluttershy?", the pegasus looked like she might knock the light out me without hesitation.

"I turned her into a burger and ate her", I joked.

The pegasus gasped loudly, tears of anger forming quickly. _What_?! I'm always cranky when I mess up my transformations, so don't judge me. And then, I was kicked right off my feet towards a window, narrowly missing a few birds behind me.

"You...you monster!", the pegasus cried. Apparently, she believed my lie. Anyway, I was pinned to the ground again (for the second time). "Fluttershy did not do anything bad to anypony!", she yelled as she landed blow after blow on my face.

Without saying anything, I simply brushed her off me and began walking out of the house. I wanted to leave before I did anything stupid to her. Cranky Azel is worst Azel

"You're not leaving", she said, dashing towards me and hitting me on my back. The blow was a bit stronger than expected and as a result, I stumbled forward.

Now I was mad...so mad I could throw a bag of Chicken Nuggets in disgust. I glared daggers...no, scratch that...I glared swords at her and somehow she got the hint as the next moment, she backed away

I ran away as quickly as I could into the forest. I could hear the yellow pegasus' voice from a distance so my scowl soon turned into a smile. If I had not left the house, I dread what I might have done to the rainbow maned pegasus. I did not notice it but I was heading towards a farm.

Vengeance...Equestria will fall before me after I had my fill of some burgers of course

What should I do first? I thought about how I would torture Celestia for banishing me. My anger grew probably because my hatred couldn't anymore. This time, there would be no mercy. What about Shining Armor and Cadance? My conscience suddenly manifested in my train of thought.

Shining Armor and Cadance...

I was a year younger than Shining Amour. We played together, we fought together, and we ate some French Fries together. We were virtually brothers. Emphasis on "were". At that thought, I really hoped Shining had become stronger as he would have to face my wrath full on.

Cadance, on the other hoof was somepony I would never dare to hurt. She was special to my life, just like Twilight Velvet and Night Light were.

For a second, I could have sworn some part of me being blown away. Had I lost some hatred? No, that would be impossible for I am Hatred. I wondered if they'd call me by my birth name when I come back to Canterlot.

"Azell! Come back!", I could hear the loving voice of Celestia calling me.

"Catch me if you can", I heard my younger self reply.

"Little brother, why do you keep making my life miserable?", Celestia joked

"Because I will be the prince of pranks", I saw my younger self being grabbed by Celestia's caring hooves

"Yes, you will", she nuzzled me, "I love you"

"I love you too", I said unconsciously

"What the fuck!?", I raised an eyebrow at what I just said. Nope...just nope...she wanted me gone, she sent me to Tartarus, and she did not even bother to check up on me. I decided to tune out all thoughts that might weaken me. After all, I was Hatred now, not Insanity, definitely not Azel.

"Ah! A m...monster!", a filly cried out

I turned around and saw a little earth pony staring at me in shock. "Scram", my movement warned her. She must have understood me for she began screaming at the top of her lungs as she galloped as fast as she could towards a barn.

For no reason whatsoever, I decided to follow her, hiding every time she glanced back. Before long, I reached the barn where I eavesdropped on her.

"Calm down, Apple Bloom. Maybe it's just ya imagination", an orange mare with a hat said

"No, it was huge, I'm telling you, even bigger than Big Mac", the filly insisted that she saw me

"Bigger than Big Mac? Yer just hallucinatin', isn't that right, Big Mac?", the orange mare simply replied

"Eeyup!", the big red stallion chuckled a bit

"But I really saw it", the little filly said glumly

And then I did what I would later regret, I got their attention. I must have gotten too close to the wall as it went down against my w13.

"What in tarnation is that?!", the earth pony with the hat yelled

"Oh shit...", I used the human word which was quite popular in their world. I was counting on them running away but soon it became clear that they were standing their ground

"Get him, Big Mac", the one with the hat said

"Eeyup", the biggest pony said as he charged towards me.

Since I lacked my horn, I was not able to harmlessly phase through him so I made the stupid decision of taking the force head on. And so I learned it was not the best of decisions as I was knocked to the ground hard.

"Tie him up, I'll get Twilight. She might 'ave some knowledge as to what this is", the one with the hat said as I slowly faded into unconsciousness. "Never take full force hits while being a human" I made a mental note.

"Twilight? Twilight Sparkle?" I thought before I blacked out.

**A/N : I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review and give me some ideas on how to proceed with this story. Don't worry, I'll be a bit more serious in the next chapter heheh**


	2. Chapter 2 : Midnight Pulse

**Chapter 2 : Midnight Pulse**

**A/N : Thanks for reading the first chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter too. In chronological order, this is the first chapter.**

How the fuck was I born? I too asked that question a lot. According to my sister Celestia, I materialized after she had a dream about our mother who told her of my arrival. So, there goes my old theory of being born from a ketchup filled tub containing junk feed.

I was an accident. It just happened after Celestia made a wish. She wished for someone who she could call family. She was lonely and wretched. Fortunately for her, mother heard her.

One night, a passing shooting star collided with my mother's last ounce of magic. The star disappeared into Celestia's room in the form of a small purple ball of energy (or was it the shape of a burger?)

I was a fully formed foal when she found me. She had just woken from her dream and the delight on her face when she first laid eyes on me was indescribable. Heck, if my mother had not told her that I was to be her brother she might have made me her son. Celestia held me, her little brother who came from the great cosmos, in her loving hooves.

It was only after a week that she decided to name me. No, she did not name me Cosmo. Apparently, I was quite the energetic little bastard so she decided to name me Azel.

I have no fucking idea what my name means either.

Since I was the only royal family besides her and Blueblood (who she did not like that much), she protected with all her life. She would never dare to let me out of her sight.

During one procession, a rather dimwitted guard tripped on me. Even though I did not cry, Celestia punished the guard and had him in charge of cleaning the throne room for a full year.

Every corner of Equestria heard of me within a month. Celestia used to hate the visiting periods she had to make so ponies all over could come and see me.

I often found it amusing when a visitor would take too much time to see me that Celestia would throw them out using her magic. Despite the fact that she would see that no harm would happen to me, one day, that exactly happened.

She was kept awake the night before due to my constant crying (I cried for my mom) and she fell asleep in the middle of a hearing. Seizing the chance, a bloke tried to kill me. "An alien is not fit to rule and eat French Fries at the same time!", the rouge pony shouted as he drove a dagger towards my neck.

Why the heck did he shouted that? Well, I guess he would need to announce his intentions anyway. So, there I was, lying in a small puddle of blood. I was screaming and crying all the while Celestia tried all she could to heal me before I passed out. I could hear the despair and fear in her voice. She and my junk food would have never forgiven themselves if I died.

Fortunately, two ponies, Twilight Velvet and Night Light aided her and the three of them were able to save me...barely. According to my sister, I had passed out when they began to heal me.

During my brief state of unconsciousness, I found myself floating away from my body. I could see all that was happening. The guards carrying the offender away, Celestia weeping as she, Twilight Velvet and Night Light tried to resuscitate me.

"BANE...BANE...BANE"

The same word repeated over and over in my mind until suddenly I zoomed right back to my body.

The joy on Celestia's face was unmatchable. It was like the time I was "born". She hugged me so much I could have sworn I heard some bones crack. She carried me to her chamber and cleaned me. After dismissing court for the whole day, she lulled me to sleep as with my favorite lullaby, "Soft Nugget, Warm Nugget"

After sleeping for 4 hours, I woke up and saw Celestia smile at me. She kissed me on my head and held her close to me. "Tia", I said my first word. She looked at me with surprise. I was "born" just a few months before and I had said my first word already.

Like I said before, inside I am not a pony but Celestia treated me as her own kind. She invited Twilight Velvet, Night Light and their son Shining Armor to join us for dinner. It was there that she decided I would be under their care.

She also made them promise to never let any harm befall me or else. The couple gladly obeyed and from the next day onwards, I stayed with them when Celestia was handling court.

I made friends with Shining Armor rather quickly. He was born a year before I was. Like me, he was a unicorn and we shared an unhealthy habit of playing roughly and consuming huge amounts of French Fries. Twilight Velvet would often jokingly scold Shining if he managed to beat me in a play fight.

It was like that for seven years, until I became Insanity but that's a story for another time.

Anyway, one year later, we met Cadance, a beautiful pink pegasus. Shining and I easily made friends with her and we used to go on small adventures together. On one occasion, I pretended to be sick so that the two could spend some time alone.

Cadance really cared for me and as a result, she became one of my most trusted friends. Also, she was usually the voice of reason whenever Shining and I tried to do something idiotic...actually she would put us under her control with some French Fries.

Cadance has always been the butt of my pranks but she never overreacted or took it seriously, she always manages to laugh it off. I would always introduce myself to her in the form of a small yet very effective prank. When I saw her alone, I would turn myself invisible and sing a creepy song:

"_One two, Azel is coming for you,_

_Three Four, He'll scare you to your core,_

_Five Six, Grab a whatchamacallit-fix;_

_Seven Eight, Now it is too late,_

_Nine Ten, He is really insane"_

And afterwards, she would freak out before I reveal myself. I have always wondered if she played along or was really freaked out. Guess I'll never know.

Something we never expected happened one day. Cadance disappeared without a trace. Everypony were concerned. Celestia herself led a search party. We were absolutely worried especially me and Shining. To lose a friend just one day after playing together was awful. The two of us search high and low as far as Celestia permitted us.

Despite facing some adolescent manticores, we were not able to locate her. Fortunately, a search party in the East found her and had brought her back before we returned. She was visibly shaken and truth be told, after hearing her story, I could not blame her.

She said that she was taken away by a white earth pony with a green frizzy mane and tail and crazy looking eyes and a wide scary grin. She was made to play a "game" in which she had to choose between the lives of Shining and me. It took a whole week before she was able to calm down.

Shining and I were absolutely furious that our friend had to go through that. I suggested finding out the culprit but Shining shot the idea down, saying that the royal guards should take care of it.

After the incident, peace reigned for two years. It was the happiest time of our lives. One day, exactly on my birthday, I managed to harness some of my magic. Up until that day, I was insecure and unconfident about my control over magic; however, after having been trained by Shining Armor's parents, I had nothing to worry about.

As usual, the three of us were playing when suddenly, Shining suggested that I should really learn to use to my magic for once. Despite declining, he egged me on. Finally, after persistence from the two, I decided to give it a go. I closed my eyes and envisioned two shadow clones of me rising from nowhere. To my surprise, it really worked...to be honest, I think I wished for some Chicken Nuggets to appear.

Two shadow clones of myself were staring at me. Shining and Cadance hugged me and congratulated me on my success. The next moment, the clones flew towards the sky at the speed of light and turned into stars.

Celestia saw what had happened and immediately came to me. She put me in a loving embrace as she knew that I had found my talent in magic. I was able to create two false stars and I was barely nine.

It was one of the best moments of my life. The day only got better when Shining noticed that a cutie mark had appeared on my flank. I examined it and saw that it was a black and purple galaxy.

And that was how I met my cutie...mark

I had finally found my talent. Celestia was so proud that she decided to make the birthday party (which was to be done that night) even grander, inviting guests from all over. Cadance nudged me in a playful manner and joked that it was only because of her that I was able to get my cutie mark.

The birthday party that night was absolutely awesome. I got to lay my eyes on Shining's little sister, played a prank on Blueblood (we stuffed salt and pepper in his piece of cake) and got many gifts. That night also marked my first meeting with the Mare on the Moon.

After the guests had left, I tiredly fell onto my bed. The moon was shining beautifully that night and I could not take my gaze off of it. Then, I heard a voice. "Brother, how are you?", the voice said. "Sister Luna?", I was a bit shocked by the sudden voice.

"Yes, it is me. Happy Birthday", Luna telepathically said.

"Thanks. I really wish you could come home", I said.

"I'll be back before you know it", I could feel her wink.

And true to her word, she did return a decade later. Unfortunately, I was doing jail time in Tartarus at the moment and could only see her in my visions.

Anyway, Shining Armor got selected as a rookie guard by Celestia after seeing how good he was in hoof to hoof as well as magical combat (she saw him beat me in a play fight 10 times in a row) while Cadance acted as the foalsitter for Shining's sister. Life became awfully lonely after the two had "jobs" and I often found myself uncharacteristically reading books. I was intrigued by one book in particular "The Fundamentals".

No, it was not a boring book about advanced physics; rather it was a kind of a more narrative approach about the Four Fundamentals that held countless universes in balance.

The Fundamentals were Nessaj, Darchrow, Io and Ezalor, all powerful beings who were constantly in conflict with one another. The book also said that if one was to perish, then a universe will have to be destroyed for that fundamental to be reborn.

So in a sense, if one of them died then a poor sucker like me with a craving for junk food will be fucked.

I was greatly intrigued by Darchrow in particular. He looked like a blue djinn (at least that's what the book said) and was capable of petrifying foes into utter submission, summoning lesser beings from nothing, decaying organic matter to dust with dark magic and the most interesting of all, he was able to create a black hole which sucked away at every living being in the vicinity, destroying their life force bit by bit before they became only memories.

I was interested in that last "spell" so I decided to replicate it.

Grabbing the book with my mouth, I ran to the garden and began channeling a spell. After a few tries I got it right although it was quite small and measly in comparison to the one I read. But whatever, I managed to replicate a spell I had never seen but only read about.

I heard a clapping behind me and smiled when I turned around. "Nice work, little brother. I can see you have a special talent in recreating astronomical events", Celestia said. "What? Black holes are just spells, aren't they?" nothing in the book said about black holes being more than just spells.

"They are. I'll show you later", she nuzzled me as she headed back, "And one thing, Azel, please do try to make your black holes a little smaller. The guards freak out when they get suddenly sucked towards the garden".

"Sorry", I laughed a bit. Special talent in recreating astronomical events? Never thought about that. Wait till Shining and Cadance hear about this.

One month before I met Insanity, I had mastered quite a few important spells. In addition to mastering Darchrow's spells (although I could not make them very powerful), I learned teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, television...wait, that isn't a spell, levitation and most important of all, transformation.

Transformation was the hardest of all due to the amount of intense concentration needed to perfect it. In my first ten tries, I passed out as soon as I finished my transformation and in the next five tries, I felt nauseous soon after. However, after nearly fifty tries, I could do it without any adverse effects but then that asshole Blueblood just had to startle me.

Fuck you, secondary eater of my French Fries!

Now that I was a yellow dragon, I breathed fire to indicate that I wasn't in any way pleased with Blueblood. Luckily, he got the hint and made himself scarce. Celestia almost attacked me but I told her telepathically who I really was. It was a tough night trying to sleep with wings and a long tail.

According to one of the maids who talked to me in the morning, I snored and burned some furniture. Fortunately, some guards were called in and they took care of the fire while also putting a force field around me to prevent any more damage.

And just when things could not get any worse, Cadance just had to visit me the next day. Nopony had told her about my transformation and as a result, when she saw me, she darted away as quick as she could.

It must have been a real shock for her when I told her about the mishap after chasing her all over the castle. Before long, the two days was up and I was able to revert back to my equine form.

It was quiet around the castle for a while, save for the daily pranks I pulled on the guards. I rummaged some old books since I had finished reading all those that interested me. To my surprise, I found a comic book. It featured a cynical crime fighter against a sadomasochistic maniac.

This maniac character really caught my attention and soon I was engrossed in the story. I had barely finished page 15 when I heard a faint laughter. I tossed the comic aside and teleported towards the source of the laughter. That would become one of the moments I regretted the most.

I found myself face to face, in the deeper depths of the library with a white earth pony with a green frizzy mane and tail and ruby red lips. An ever present grin was the main highlight of this pony. Nopony said a word for a minute until I broke the silence. "Who the hay are you?", I tried my best not to look like I was about to scream the hell out of my lungs.

"I don't know...you give me one" his grin widened to the point that it almost reached his ears.

"Oh, you want to know how I got these scars?", he said as I did nothing but stare at the red scars around the side of his mouth , wondering how many Chicken Nuggets he would be able to eat in one go.

"Well, a few years ago my mom and my dad were having a fight in front of me; my dad chopped my mom to death before turning to me. He looked straight at me and placed a knife inside my mouth, "Now, let's put a smile on that", he said.

I stared open mouthed at the pony. "And then there was this lovely mare I met the other day, she kept wondering why I had these scars, so I did the same thing my dad did to me", he smirked. By now I was totally freaked out, "This must be the pony Cadance talked about", I thought.

I tried to yell for a guard to come but stopped when I saw a knife near my mouth. Normally, if some other pony had tried to do the same to me, I would have easily dispose of them but something told me this was no normal situation. "Why so serious?", he looked straight into my eyes.

My heartbeat increased significantly as he playfully ran the blade along the side of my face. I was frozen with fear as blood flowed freely; I was too distracted by his actions that I did not have the time to think about my new injuries. "Y-You're insane", I finally found my voice.

"Yes, that's a nice name. Call me Insanity from now on. I'll see you later", I heard him say as I fell to the floor unconscious.

I woke up in a hospital bed an hour later, Celestia and some doctors standing near me. Celestia hugged me with tears in her eyes as I opened mine. My mind was still foggy as I tried to recall what had happened.

The doctor told me that I was unconscious partly due to blood loss and partly due to inhaling chloroform. "I'm sorry I could not protect you, I'm sorry", Celestia's tears dropping to the floor echoed around the hospital.

"How...did you find me?", I asked partially awake.

"A guard who entered the library to return a book saw you", Celestia hugged me tighter, "I dread what might have happen had that guard not found you".

"It's okay now...I'm safe now...", I told her, I wanted say I'm alright but she would just try to hug me even more.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the same earth pony in a nurse outfit. "When a commoner gets beaten to death, no one bats an eye. But when a prince gets a little cut, everypony loses their minds", he sent a telepathic message to me before leaving, "Insanity's gonna get ya".

**A/N : Thanks for being patient enough to read through the whole chapter. I hope you get the **_**Dark Knight **_**references and JUNK FOOD!**


	3. Chapter 3 : Broken

**Chapter 3 : Broken**

**A/N: Another huge thank you to all those who took the time to read and review the previous chapters. You're awesome!**

Thanks to Celestia's healing, I was up and running within a few days. But something was wrong. It felt like something was about to happen but I had no knowledge of what it was.

I never felt inner peace since the day I was discharged from the hospital. Not even Chicken Nuggets could cheer me up.

Because of my run-in with "Insanity", I was kept under maximum security and I was not able to visit Shining's family due to Celestia's orders. She wanted to keep an eye on me at all times and frankly speaking, I could not blame her. I mean, who wouldn't want to protect their sibling who had been brutally cut open and left to die.

One week before I became Insanity, I started to grow restless of the constant 24/7 security. However, since Celestia's orders overruled mine I could not get rid of the 50 royal guards who followed me everywhere I went.

Despite being safe at all times, I felt something that had never happened to me before. I felt fear. Paranoia was slowly eating me inside unbeknownst to the others. When Cadance visited me, I almost lashed out at her, thinking her to be Insanity. She helped me rest a bit for the first time in two days.

I told her of my meeting with Insanity and how maddening it felt anticipating his inevitable return. "Don't worry, Azel, you've got us", she gave me that heart-warming smile.

"That's what I'm worried about. I care about you guys and I'm afraid you'll get hurt", I confessed my fears.

"Now you're just overreacting" she nudged me.

"Maybe I am. Anyway, thanks. You made me feel much better", I gave her a hug.

"I want to feel better too", a familiar voice said

"I've searched non-stop for your attacker for two weeks, you know", Shining said as he joined in the hug, "It's hard trying to make sure you're safe".

"Well, keep on searching", I joked. It was the first time in months that the three of us were together again. "How Twilight?", I asked him.

"She's good. Almost too good, she almost hit me with a beam", Shining replied, his sister was quite a magically gifted little filly.

"Awww...looks like a three year old is already better at magic than you are", I smirked.

"That's because she's got the best foalsitter in Equestria", Shining eyed Cadance.

"Nice try, mister", Cadance smiled.

The day went by too quickly and both Shining and Cadance had to get back to their duties. I watched them as they left the castle. Celestia soon came and placed her wing around me.

I asked her if they had caught Insanity or not. She glumly gave me her answer and said that no one else except Cadance and me saw Insanity.

She was beginning to wonder if the wounds I received were actually self-inflicted. I shot down the idea and said that if I'm the only one that could see Insanity, I might as well search for him myself. With that, I galloped off into the library with my security following me close behind.

Soon, I reached the place where I met Insanity. But nopony was there. The blood was all cleaned up and the comic book was gone. I heard a familiar word ring in my mind.

"BANE...BANE...BANE"

I cried...I cried due to knowing that I was helpless. I was never going to find peace; I was going down one way or another.

Celestia held me close to her and helped me to my bed. I cried myself to sleep. Who was going to be next after I was gone? Celestia? Shining? Twilight Velvet? Night Light? My secret stash of Chicken Nuggets? That night was the by far the worst night of my life.

The next three days, I did not talk to anypony. The only pony I communicated with was Celestia and that was through telepathy. Philomena didn't really count since she was just a phoenix. I tried to keep my mind off Insanity by training but it was not working.

No matter how many shadow clones I created, Insanity was always present and when I tried to transform, I would always change into Insanity.

The day before I became Insanity, my mind was clear of the paranoia and obsession with Insanity. It felt like a breath of fresh air after being underwater for a long time. I was able to find the will to talk to other ponies and I managed to enjoy life again.

Celestia was the happiest among the others. She heaved a sigh of relief and concluded that I was finally back to my normal self. She was glad that I had suffered only acute depression and paranoia and nothing serious. Only a day later, she would be proved wrong.

I pranked Blueblood again to get what happened in the past week out of my system and to my surprise it worked. I visited Shining's family. Twilight Velvet was really glad that I was able to get over my paranoia and Night Light reassured me that their family was always there to help me if I needed it.

Cadance was also there with Shining's little sister, Twilight Sparkle. I greeted her and told her that I was no longer afraid. She gave me that smile and told me that if something ever went wrong, she would always do her best to help me get through tough times.

I cuddled Twilight Sparkle. She was the cutest thing I had ever seen maybe even cuter than the pony-shaped Chicken Nugget I ate some years back.

She playfully shot a little bolt of magic at me and frizzled my mane. Both Cadance and I laughed at that and agreed that Twilight was going to be somepony special when she grew up. For some reason, she kept calling me "Santa".

I gave Cadance a small glare and she replied with a giggle. I spent the whole day with Cadance and Twilight Sparkle before Celestia sent some guards to fetch me as it was getting late.

It took a few tries trying to console Twilight and letting her allow "Santa" to go home. After saying goodbye to Twilight's parents and Cadance, I happily trotted back to the castle. In the end, that day felt like the best way to get back on the right track.

And then...the fateful day arrived...no, not the day I decided to stop eating some fucking Chicken Nuggets

The night before I slept with Celestia like I did for the past week as she could not allow me to sleep in my own room. After a quick breakfast, Celestia decided that the two of us should take a walk around the garden.

I told her how I had no nightmares the night before and that it felt like a new beginning for me. She could see the absence of fear and insecurity in my voice and told me that there was nothing to worry about. "You know, Twilight Velvet and Night Light are on their way here", she told me.

"Really? Wow, that's great", I jumped in excitement.

The next moment, Celestia stepped on a small hole I created, causing mud to fly right to her face. I rolled on the ground laughing hard as she cleaned the dirt on her face. "Very funny", she smiled, "Azel! Come back!", she shouted as I ran away from her.

"Catch me if you can", I shouted back despite knowing that she'll catch me.

"Little brother, who do you keep making my life miserable?", she joked as she held me in her hooves.

"Because I will be the prince of pranks!" I said as she raised me up.

"Yes you will", she nuzzled me, "I love you", she added.

"I love you too", I smiled back at her.

I glanced at my side and saw Insanity grinning at me. He looked straight into my eyes before lunging forward at me with a knife. I did not even have time to react as he entered my body.

I felt weak after that, slowly I faded into darkness. I could hear Celestia scream for help. She was not screaming for my concern, she was screaming for hers. Before I lost my mind, I could feel my mouth arc into a sinister grin and my hoof driving a knife into Celestia's side.

I could also feel power growing inside me, my magical powers increasing with every second the blade dug its way into Celestia's side. And then, my mind went dead.

It was only a couple of hours later, near the entrance to Tartarus that I was able to regain control of my mind and body. My eyes dashed all over the place. I looked at myself and saw burn marks on my sides, probably due to being hit by a beam of magic. I tried to ask the guards who were escorting me about what had happened.

The only answers I got were glares. Glares of hatred and shock. I figured I was not going to get anything out of them so I resorted to using telepathy to hear the guards' thoughts. My mouth hung open in shock.

I had tried to kill Celestia and not only that, I almost destroyed Equestria.

It was only because of the interference from Twilight Velvet and Night Light that Insanity had not succeeded. I hung my head in shame as I entered Tartarus. I deserved this. I let myself get manipulated by Insanity.

I did not talk to anyone in Tartarus for a full year. If there was a problem, I would silently deal with it. Slowly, little by little, I became Hatred. Within four months, I had my first kill. It was a loud mouth Hydra who would not stop berating me for being unable to be a real royalty.

I did not say a single word. I simply walked up to him, grab all of his seven heads and ripped them off before burning his body. It was a gruesome sight to see but I enjoyed it. As a result the first pony to eat a Hydra Nugget.

Hatred was starting to build up as I began garnering hatred for Celestia. Why didn't she come and visit me? After all, it was Insanity who did this, not me. Why didn't she figure that out yet?

My sympathy for Celestia waned as it was replaced by hatred. Only a year and 15 kills later was it that I was finally able to piece together every single thing that happened after I saw Insanity on that day.

When Insanity entered me and controlled my body and mind, he held a special knife. A knife that could cut through flesh and drain the magic and life force out of the victim. He used it on Celestia to gain power and after draining half of Celestia's powers, he stopped.

"Brother...why are you doing this?", Celestia weakly asked, trying to scurry away but ultimately failing.

"Equestria is mine", Insanity grinned as he harnessed the magic from my body with Celestia's, "Some ponies just want to watch the world burn", he smiled as he summoned solar flares from the Sun to incinerate Equestria.

"Please...stop!", Celestia tearfully pleaded. She had not expected this at all.

"Why the long face?", Insanity smirked as he readied himself to finish off Celestia, "I used your powers to summon flares from the sun and in a matter of minutes, all of Equestria will burn to the ground".

The knife was knocked out of Insanity's hoof by a well timed bolt from Twilight Velvet before Insanity was knocked down by Night Light. "What is the matter with you?", Twilight Velvet glared at Insanity.

"Aww...come to join the party?", Insanity sported a sinister smile.

Night Light grabbed the knife and helped Celestia to a safer place before returning her powers. "Oh, big sister has her powers back? No matter, in the end, I'll still win", Insanity shrugged before being subdued by another powerful bolt from Twilight Velvet.

"I never thought I would see the day you would try to kill your own sister", Twilight Velvet shouted with tears in her eyes. Her student, her greatest protégé was now destined to be imprisoned forever. She had failed as a teacher.

"Why?", Celestia asked sadly, she had finished healing herself.

"It's for fun", Insanity said, still not losing the grin, by now, all guards had reached the garden.

"Chain him before he tries to escape", Night Light told the guards, he too had tears in his eyes.

"Azel...due to your actions...I sentence you to a life time banishment to...Tartarus", Celestia could barely say the last word. Why was life so hard for her? It was now the second time she had to banish a sibling.

On one hoof, if she sent me to Tartarus, she would have no family left but on the other hoof, if she let me stay, Insanity might pose a threat to her and to junk food all over; after all, Insanity did try to destroy Equestria.

"Take him away", Celestia ordered, not bearing to look at her brother who did not resist at all.

"Princess, are you okay?", Night Light asked.

"I don't want to talk to anypony for now", Celestia turned to the sky as she dissimilated the process for the release of solar flares.

"We understand", Twilight Velvet bowed. She still could not believe what had just transpired. A pony they had known all their lives suddenly snapped and tried to burn Equestria.

"Thank you", Celestia said as she left for her chambers.

After recalling everything that went down that day, I almost retracted my hatred but however I realized that two years had already gone by and I had not found a single sign of Celestia coming for me at all. She had abandoned me.

I contemplated telling the truth but it was going to be fruitless. I could not erase the past, even if I was innocent. Insanity had done his job and tainted my dignity, my pride and my honor. He had left forever.

I did not know who trust anymore. Everypony felt so far away from me. I did not know what was worth fighting for. I had no purpose. I just existed. Once a crown prince of Equestria now just a fucking prisoner of Tartarus. I did not attempt to have self pity. I was getting what I had deserved..shit and more

One day, almost seven years and hundreds of kills later, I met Tirek. I had already become Hatred, I was now a grey changeling with purple mane and tail, barbs coming out instead of wings and I had crimson reptilian eyes.

I also had made a name for myself as the Beast. A prisoner who would crush all who opposed me and also devoured the carcass of the dead after turning them into Nuggets. Tirek was also equally feared and the other prisoners felt it was only a matter of time until the two of us came face to face.

Tirek was an intimidating specimen. He was a centaur and was respected inside this hellhole. "So, you are the prince of Equestria", he said in a disrespectful tone.

"Was", I coldly replied.

"Tell me, is it true that you tried to kill your sister, Princess Celestia?", he asked.

"None of your fucking business", I turned away making him growl.

"Do you know who you are talking to?", he roared loudly, causing the other prisoners to squirm, "I am Lord Tirek!".

"What-the-fuck-ever", I shrugged before I started to walk away.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me", he stomped the ground violently.

"What are you going to do about it? Piss yourself?", I glared at him, I would have gladly talked with him but he just had to mention what had happened in past. Without warning, he charged at me, not even caring for the smaller prisoners he trampled on his way.

Now, he was starting to piss me off, I transformed into a human and grabbed his horn as soon as was within a few feet. He was startled by the transformation and I took that moment of hesitation as a chance and spun him around. Humans were quite strong and as a result, it was not that hard spinning him.

He tried his best to escape but I had a tight grip on him. I suddenly used his momentum against him and I broke one of his horns. Blood flowed from the wound as he tried to regain his composure. "What..are you?", he asked, apparently shocked from being centaur-handled so easily.

"I am the Beast of Tartarus", I replied, changing back to Hatred, "Remember the fucking name" I tossed his horn back to him.

For two years and one hundred Nuggets later (they were all non-Chicken), Tirek avoided me as much as he could while I grew stronger. Every bit of hate turned into power and soon, I had enough power to beat Cerberus. Finally, he regained his courage to face me and we had a normal talk.

He asked me what I would do if I escaped. I truthfully told him that I had no future plans for when I would escape.

He told me that when I escape, I would still be shunned like I was when I was captured. And that nopony would trust me ever again. I told him that I still had some ponies I could trust referring to Shining's family and Cadance. What he said changed me forever.

He then asked me why they had not checked on me for all these years. If they were truly my friends, why had they not even come to see me at all? Something grew enormously inside me.

I did not feel Hatred anymore, instead I became Hatred. I instantly felt bitter hatred for everypony. They never cared about me. I was an outsider and I always will be. If they won't accept me when I return, I will destroy everything. They did not understand I was innocent. I did not deserve this hate.

Was it too hard to understand that I never meant to hurt anypony? Were they so blind and naive that they would believe I was Insanity? And what about Celestia? I told her about Insanity and how he wounded me. Why did she just assume everything Insanity did was instead my doing? Why couldn't she come and properly ask me about what happened? I was not a monster; I loved her and treated her well.

Well, if that's how thing are going to be, I might as well be hated rather than be liked. I will be Equestria's reckoning. The Spirit of Vengeance that will annihilate every single fucking thing. As for those who believed I was the one who tried to murder Celestia, they will have my permission to die painfully.

When I return, Equestria will be in ashes.

**A/N : Sorry for the wait, the next chapter will continue on from where Chapter 1 left. See you later. Profanity's comin'.**


	4. Chapter 4 : Hatred Reloaded

**Chapter 4 : Hatred Reloaded**

**A/N : Thank you all for reading the story. Like I said in the previous chapter, this will continue from Chapter 1. And Azel is now cured of his addiction to most junk food...Chicken Nuggets**

I inspected my surroundings as I came around. I was tied to a wooden beam with flimsy ropes. And around me were the same ponies from before. They looked absolutely curious and I could not blame them. Humans were never seen before in Equestria. I could see it in their faces that they were trying to decide what they should do. I decided against breaking the beam I was tied to and causing the barn to crash on them so I just stood there, wanting to see what they would do. After all, I had never been to Ponyville before. I wondered how they would handle a situation like this.

"There he is, Twilight", the mare with a hat said as she led a lavender alicorn inside the barn

"What is that?", Twilight gasped, not out of fear but out of sheer curiosity, "Looks like a monkey but the morphology is so different"

"He destroyed that wall and tried to scare us but we managed to tie 'im", the one with the hat said.

"What a peculiar creature", the alicorn examined me, "I've never read about this type of beings before"

"You don't know what it is?", the smallest one said. Of course she wouldn't know, they are from another dimension. They reside in another plane of reality.

"Oh my, looks like he's hurt", Twilight noticed the bruise caused by Big Mac's tackle to my chest.

"Big Mac had to make sure he did not hurt anypony, right Big Mac?", the one with the hat turned to the biggest one

"Eeyup", was the big lug's reply

"Okay, enough of this shit", I said as I broke free of the ropes which "restrained" me, "I want to ask you some fucking questions"; I looked at the alicorn straight in the eye.

Big Mac tried to charge at me but this time I tripped him and he tumbled towards the door, knocking himself out in the process. "What the...? Yer gonna pay fer that", I could see the anger in the orange pony's eyes.

Using a technique I learned from Shining Armor a long time ago, I slipped my forefinger behind her neck, hitting a nerve and instantly rendering the pony unconscious.

Two down, one to go. I glanced at the smallest one and saw her merely shudder in fright before she fainted.

"W-Why did you do that!?", the alicorn screamed, pointing her horn at me.

"Simple, I want some fucking answers and I want them now", I brushed off her first attack. Humans had a much higher resistance to magic than ponies so the attack did not do much damage at all.

"What are you?", she stammered, hitting me with purple beams of magic.

"I'll be the one asking the questions, thank you very much", I said before I grabbed her horn, "You will comply or else I will rip their throats out in a manner you will never forget", I threatened her.

She tried to protest but after seeing her friends in such a vulnerable state, she gave in. "Fine, what do you want to ask?", she lowered her head in defeat

"When did you become an alicorn?", I asked. I knew she was Shining's little sister but it was hard to believe that she had become an alicorn during my banishment.

"A month ago", she replied.

"Do you want to know who or what the fuck I am?", I decided to let her know who I was. I had totally forgotten about her during my time in Tartarus. I smiled a little inside, emphasis on little.

The foal I played with before I was banished was now an alicorn. Okay, Twilight Sparkle and Cadance were the only two ponies I would never hurt. Also, thanks to being knocked out, I was temporarily in control of my emotions. Yep, I was Azel again and not Hatred.

Twilight nodded her answer. She did not even look at me; her eyes were fixed at the motionless bodies of her friends.

"Speak", I ordered, I wanted to hear her voice once more.

"Yes...I would like to know you are", she said coldly, I could feel the anger in her voice.

"I am Equestria's reckoning, the Harbinger of Destruction, the Beast of Tartarus...", I said sternly before resorting to a more softer tone, "The Prince of Canterlot".

As I expected, her ears perked up at that last one. "I'm Azel", I whispered into her ear. Remember what I said earlier about me being no longer Azel, yeah, just for this time, scratch that.

"Azel?", she looked extremely surprised.

"Or you could just call me "Santa"", I tried my best to hug her.

"Y-You're back? From Tartarus? But you're not a pony!?", she hesitated.

Yep, Hatred had hugged a pony. "Look, I only have this one chance to tell you this, alright?", I said as I felt Hatred returning to consume me, "Hatred is coming back to control me and I am afraid that you might get hurt when he returns. Listen carefully and listen good, Hatred is going to Canterlot the day after tomorrow to kill Celestia so I suggest you warn her of that, alright? Get your brother and Cadance as well because you will need all the help you can get when I lose myself"

"O-Okay", she still wasn't sure of the situation, "Can't you stop yourself?".

"Sorry, but my mind is a strange place and hard to stop once I've been planning for more than a decade", I replied, "And about me being a human, I lost my concentration while transforming", I smiled.

"Human? I've never heard of them", she said, the fear in her voice had left. "

They are from another world. Anyway, I'm trapped like this for two days so I have to lay low for now", I turned to leave.

"Let me fix that", her horn glowed and in a few seconds, I was back to normal form.

"How did you...?" I was surprised that she was able to revert me back so easily.

"I read about it", she gave me a smile, "Santa".

"Come here", I hugged her again, "Don't worry about your friends, they'll be up soon. I don't want you to be hurt so try to rally a force to stop me. Since you made me able to use my magic again, I'll attack Canterlot this evening. So, go, gather your forces", I told her.

"Goodbye, Twi", I waved at her before dashing away as quick as I could. Hatred was coming back and since Hatred would lash out at her friends, she might be hurt. I ran towards the woods before Hatred consumed me.

Where was I? Oh right, Destruction of Canterlot. Now, all who had hated me for something I did not do will pay for their blindness. I decided to start with Celestia seeing that she was probably the strongest of them. But what had Tirek said...the Elements of Harmony are powerful, take every precautions.

Elements of Harmony...more power to steal

Since it was only afternoon and I had about 6 hours left, I decided to while away the time by flying around. I was not a pegasus or alicorn but my superior magic allowed to fly faster than even the fastest pegasus.

Those so called "Wonderbolts" can eat my unicorn dust. I created wings so as to not arouse suspicion though I would eliminate any threat that would try to expose my plan. With my new wings, I slowly glided above Ponyville for an hour before I got bored. I used my magic to fly faster and soon I was but a blur to those who saw me.

"Look out!", I could hear a mare cry out. I stopped in my tracks and came face to face with the naive rainbow maned pegasus from before. "Watch where you're going", she yelled at me.

She was flying at a high speed in the opposite direction and judging from the direction she was flying, she was probably heading towards Canterlot.

"Whatever", I slowly flew away.

"Slowpoke", I heard her mutter as she sped away.

Slowpoke? Fuck you. With that, I quickly followed suit. "Kill the rainbow one next" I made a mental note.

"What the hay?", was all she could say as I flew past her.

"Slowpoke", I chuckled as I whizzed away at speeds nearly equaling that of light. If I flew that fast, then why didn't I die? Remember, I am not normal. I am like nothing you had ever seen before.

Soon, I realized I had flown over my old home. Though I wanted to utterly destroy it at sight, saner heads prevailed and so instead, I decided to turn undetectable so I could observe their preparations for my inevitable attack. I flew directly to the throne room and saw Celestia, Luna, Twilight Sparkle and some other ponies.

"What? Are you sure it was him?", Celestia asked.

"I am sure princess, he has returned", Twilight replied, "He asked me to warn you that when he reaches Canterlot this evening, he will...take revenge", I could see that she was trying to make me look less dangerous than I was.

"W-What? Revenge?", Luna exclaimed, despite contacting her throughout my time in Tartarus, I had never told her of my plans

"What's he really look like anyway? Yeh said he was the creature we caught, right?", the one with the hat asked

"He's a white unicorn with blue eyes and red mane and tail", Twilight replied

"Wait, that awfully seems familiar to the pegasus I saw on my way here. He flew at speeds I had never seen before and he was heading in this direction", the blue pegasus said. Dang...now they know I'm in Canterlot.

"Pegasus? But he's a uni...oh yes, I forgot he could transform into anything", Twilight said, "So, that means he could already be here and nopony would know".

"Sister? Are you alright?", Luna turned to Celestia, I could see that she was frozen with shock ever since Twilight told her of my return.

"It's all my fault...", Celestia began to cry. A small part of me wanted to reach out and comfort her but Hatred was stronger so I did nothing.

"No it isn't, remember, it was him who attacked you first", Luna consoled her.

"When he told me he was tortured by images of a certain pony who tried to kill him, I did not believe him and thought he was the one who did those horrible things to himself", Tears flowed freely from her eyes, "I-I did not believe him. And when he attacked me, I thought it was his true self. I-I did not trust him enough to believe he was not the one who attacked me"

"Princess" Twilight stood next to her, "We all make mistakes. Please, stop crying"

I left the place immediately. Normally, I would have the utmost sympathy for her but I was not me, I was Hatred. She made a wrong judgment and what has it led to? I was fucking banished to Tartarus for something I did not do. From what I saw, I could figure out what was going on in Celestia's mind when she banished me.

After I was discharged from the hospital and paranoia began to eat me alive, she thought I was becoming mentally unstable. She believed I made Insanity up and that I had willingly tried to kill myself to prove his existence.

Due to the sudden change in myself before I became Insanity, she had doubts about me and she became more cautious around me.

When Insanity attacked her, she assumed it was me and always had been me. And due to her previous altercation with Luna, she thought that it was due to jealousy that I acted out so she made a decision which she thought was best for me, banishment.

If only she gave herself more time to think and gave me more time to explain myself. But no, she would rather rush her judgment than inspect the situation more clearly. And now, because of her mistake, she will pay with her life.

All of Equestria will be doomed because of her error in judgment. So, this was the reason why she did not allow herself and other ponies to visit me. She was scared of me.

Only 10 minutes left

I had finished gorging on an Ursa Major which was resting deep in the woods. I left the unfinished carcass to rot as I slowly trot towards Canterlot **(That rhymed)**. I decided to check out what forces will try to stop when I begin my plan of annihilation.

I flew near the castle and saw lots of guards of all species. Also, there were griffons patrolling the area. A sadistic smile was on my face as I flew near the entrance.

"Halt!", I was instantly stopped by four guards, "State your business". I did not grace them with my answer. Only two things were on my mind and that was to ensure the death of Celestia first and then the desolation of Equestria.

One guard tried to grab me but I harmlessly phased through him, leaving all the guards near me dumbfounded. I lethargically walked through every single pony who was standing in my way. The guards looked helpless as they tried to blast me with magic only to see me walk by.

Soon, I was near the room where Celestia was. As I expected, it was the most heavily guarded area. Like the guards outside, they were unable to stop me while I was phasing. With a blast of magic, I destroyed the barrier which enclosed the door to Celestia's room. Summoning all the hate I had, I backed a few steps before ramming the door down.

"He's here", I could hear Shining's voice. I looked around the room and saw Celestia and Luna looking at me with worried looks on their faces. Twilight and her friends were also staring at me, wearing some jewellery though except for Twilight they looked determined to beat me up.

And last but not least, Shining and Cadance stood before the two princesses. Shining had a mixture of anger and disappointment in his eyes while Cadance had hope in her eyes.

"I want the alicorn...", I growled as I walked towards the Celestia, "...dead". Celestia gasped at that. I knew she realized she was getting what she deserved.

"You'll have to get through us first", the annoying pegasus charged at me. I did not even glance at her; my eyes were fixed on Celestia. "Now's my chance", I heard her think.

The next moment, the rainbow maned pegasus found herself being choked albeit lightly by my magic. I glared at her and gave her a telepathic warning. "You're next", I released my hold on her as she coughed and retreated.

"Azel, please, snap out of it", Cadance pleaded, Twilight must have told them of my...condition.

"I am Hatred", I charged energy on my horn, "Azel does not fucking exist anymore!", I yelled as I shot a beam of magic at Celestia only to have it block by Shining Armor.

"What's the matter with you?!", Shining scolded me.

"Why didn't you visit me?" I screamed, "Why didn't you even come and see me?!", I shot a more powerful beam which Celestia and Luna blocked. "Why did you assume I was the culprit!?" I was crying now, "Why did you fucking abandon me!?", I charged at her.

However, I hit Shining instead causing him to crash through some tables. "Shining!", Cadance rushed to him, helping him up.

"Celestia...why did you fucking abandon me when I needed you?", I said, "It is because of you that I became this...this...Beast!". The next moment, I manipulated the sun using my cosmic powers. "I believe you remember this", I smirked as I summoned flares from the sun, "Insanity was not able to get the job done but I..I will finish it surely". I created a magical barrier in front of the solar flares which would prevent Celestia and the others from stopping the flares from eventually scorching every part of Equestria.

"In 10 minutes, the flares from the sun will burn away everything. In the end...I will have my vengeance", I growled before being hit by a rainbow coloured beam.

"We got him!", a white unicorn said.

"Umm..I-I hope he's not d-dead", the yellow pegasus showed concern.

"C'mon, Fluttershy, he got what he deserved", the one with the hat said.

"Nice trick...that must be what Tirek talked about", I wiped the dust from my front hoof as I appeared from the dust, "However, I am not Tirek, I am much more stronger than him!".

"How can we stop him?", the pink one said.

"No one can", Celestia lowered her head. She was right, with the amount of power I got from my hate; there was nothing in this world that would be able to defeat me using force.

"Little brother, please control yourself", Luna pleaded as she blocked each of the beams I shot at her.

"It's too late", I scowled, "Eight years too late".

"He's unstoppable...", Shining told Cadance.

"If only there was a way to help him", Cadance began crying.

"Even if we do stop him, how will we be able to stop the flares from the sun?", Shining asked.

Cadance's tears momentarily distracted me. It reminded of the time when she met Insanity. However, another rainbow beam snapped me out of my thoughts. "He's still standing", the blue pegasus shouted in disbelief as I brushed the attack off.

"Enough...", I growled before turning the moon and the stars pitch black, "You ponies like enjoying the moonlight, right? Let's see how well you do in the dark". With that everything went black; there was no light at all. The unicorns began conjuring flashes of light to illuminate the surroundings. I could hear the cries of despair and fear from outside of the castle's walls...music to my ears.

"Where is he?", Shining asked the mares as he tried to find me in the darkness. I could see him holding Cadance close to him. I sent a telepathic message to her.

"_One two, Azel's coming for you..."_

**A/N : Wow! 30+ reviews, thanks for the support. You guys are the best!**


	5. Chapter 5 : WTHYou

**Chapter 5 : WTHYou**

**A/N: Welcome to the fifth chapter. Feel free to leave a review at the end.**

"_Three Four, he'll scare you to your core"_

Cadance knew I was not kidding now. Whatever I was doing, I was dead serious. "Get ready, he's c-coming", she warned the others.

"I'll knock 'im down if he shows up", the one with the hat said.

"P-Please don't hurt anypony", I heard the yellow pegasus repeat. "

Azel, stop this madness, please!", Luna pleaded. I swiftly moved out of the way of every light source.

"Now, I see...", I heard Celestia think.

Twilight was at a corner, trying to conjure a larger illumination spell so they could have the upper hand. "Twilight, stay close to us", the blue pegasus pulled her closer.

"If anypony sees anything, shout okay?", Twilight began to conjure her spell. For a few seconds, the whole room lit up.

"There he is!", the white unicorn shouted before the light faded. I phased out of the way as they shot the position I was in with a rainbow beam.

"Missed", I whispered in Twilight's ear.

"_Five Six, grab a whatchamacallit-fix"_

I noticed some guards trying to enter the room I was in. I quietly stood next to them as I began to nerve strike them one by one.

The room lit up again and the ponies screamed at the sight they saw. I was standing on top of a dozen or so motionless bodies. "He..H-He...", the one with the hat stammered.

"They're not dead, they're only unconscious", Shining assured her.

"...is this how...?", Celestia thought.

"Aww...Twilight what's with the lights?", the pink pony groaned.

"Azel keeps countering it", Twilight deduced. Nope, the blackout spell from before was still in effect and it will also prevents counter spells from being casted.

"Twilight dear, I think he's near you", the white unicorn saw me.

"Are you running or not?", I looked at Twilight straight in the eyes before disappearing.

"I will never leave my friends!", she yelled.

"Your friends are better than mine", I glared at Shining and Cadance.

"Azel...", Cadance tried to talk,

"...it's no use. He won't forgive us", Shining hushed her.

"Damn right you are!", I shot a thin laser at Shining, leaving him writhing in the ground in pain.

"Shining!", Cadance frantically tried to heal him.

"You abandoned me", I whispered, "It's too late to apologize".

"_Seven Eight, now it is too late"_

"For eight years...", I did not bother to disappear as the room lighted up again, "...I screamed for you guys to help me...", I stood unfazed as the rainbow beam hit me again, "...but you didn't come".

"At this rate, we'll soon be out of power", Twilight panted.

"Princess, is it really true?", the blue pegasus stared at Celestia.

"Y-Yes...", she reluctantly said, "Everypony including myself was scared of him so no one had the courage to visit him".

Suddenly, I found myself being tackled to the ground by Shining Armor.

"Get it out of you! You're not Hatred, you're my friend!", he screamed in desperation. Only 5 minutes were left.

"You're my friend? Fuck off!", I threw him off and towards Luna, "Play time's over", the blackout occurred again.

"_Nine ten, He is really insane"_

I grabbed Shining by his front hooves before I spun him around. He tried his best to escape but I had a tight grip. I then threw him towards the girls. "Ouch, that smarts", the blue pegasus commented.

"That's it!", Shining growled as he charged at me. He almost hit me but I managed to shove him towards a wall. He crashed into it with such impact that it cracked.

Having taken care of Shining, I grabbed Insanity's knife which I had kept hidden before I entered the castle.

Now, everypony was shuddering in fright as I teleported from one place to another in the blink of an eye. "Is this how he felt after he met Insanity?", Celestia thought, "Did he feel scared and helpless like we are right now?". The next moment, I stood behind Celestia.

"Remember this", I ran the blunt side of Insanity's knife along Celestia's neck, "This time, there'll be nopony to save you now".

"Princess!", the other ponies screamed in shock as I created a small orb of light near the two of us so they could witness my actions.

"Stand back", Celestia ordered, she knew she was done.

"Azel says thank you for raising him", I raised the knife, ready for the coup de grace.

"Before you kill me, let me say one thing", Celestia lost the fear in her voice, her frown replaced by a loving smile, "Forgive me".

Something broke inside me.

Time stopped.

My mind was displaced to a white void. I was not Hatred, I was my old self. "What...? Where am I?", I looked around and saw a brown alicorn with silver armor as well as an orange mane and tail.

"I see Darchrow finished his task", the alicorn said.

"Who are you?", I asked.

"I am Nessaj, one of the four fundamentals", he said, his ruby red eyes glowing with power

"Nessaj? Fundamental? So you're the one I read about when I was little", I stared at the brown alicorn.

A black alicorn flew from nothingness and stared at me. He had a cyan mane and tail and blue stripes on his body. There were also stars on his body. Luna would be so jealous of this pony's body.

"Darchrow?", I asked unconsciously

"Hatred", he corrected me

"What? I don't und...", he interrupted me

"I am the embodiment of hatred. My power increases with every little bit of hate. I had used you ever since you were born", his booming voice was devoid of any love.

"Y-You made me do all that? All of those murders? Why?", I yelled

"I granted your sister's wish. In a sense, I created you", he replied, "So, you were mine to control until you could break free on your own"

"You haven't answered my question", I scowled

"You almost lost yourself in hatred but you managed to rid yourself of my control", he said, "I was testing you"

"Testing me?", I was surprised. My whole life was nothing but a test?

"Yes, I gave you some of my powers a few years after you were born. I wanted to see if you were worthy to wield fundamental powers and to counter an upcoming evil", that made sense.

"Evil? An enemy?", I asked

"He is Nightmare himself. You must have heard his name before"

"Bane..."

"Now with my powers, you have become a demi-fundamental so you will be able to overcome almost every problem, emphasis on "almost""

"So...does this mean...I'm dead?", I asked again

"Yes", Nessaj replied, I gasped in shock

"No you are not. We merely summoned you from your mortal body to tell you that you have passed the test", Darchrow glared at Nessaj

"That's a relief", I wiped the sweat off of my face, "Wait, then how did I get rid of your control exactly?"

"It was your sister's love that set you free", Darchrow replied, "I hate love"

"Didn't she love me, I dunno, like, before?", I asked

"Yes she did, but you were not fully under my manipulation until you began building up hate in Tartarus", Darchrow said, "And during that period, she was scared of you. However, before you came here, she knew it was her time, so she showered with all her love instead of fearing you"

"If I had the power, I would gladly kick your fucking ass right now", I growled at Darchrow

"If you had any sense, you would have realized that your hatred was real and I only amplified it", he smirked.

I said nothing. It was true. Before this, I thought he created the hatred in me. No, my hatred was genuine and from me, not from Darchrow. I sat and began weeping as I realized how foolish I was to have garnered hate for my own family and friends. All the murders, it was I who did that and now Equestria was going to burn to ashes due to my actions.

"Kill me...", I glumly said

"Not yet", Darchrow said, "You have to atone for your actions first. Then and only then will you find your peace"

Everything faded to white.

I drove the knife down and it met flesh. Everypony gasped in shock. I threw Celestia's body towards Shining and Cadance. "Princess!", the girls shouted in unison. Celestia and I stared at each other for a few seconds as the blackout finally faded.

"Where's the knife?", Shining asked as he searched for the knife on Celestia's body.

"It's not there", Luna said. "Azel...", Celestia looked at me with concern in her eyes.

Everypony stared at the knife that was lodged at my side. "I'm sorry", I said as I lowered my head in shame, I was crying again. I conjured a small note as I placed in on the ground.

"Please forgive us", Celestia apologized.

"I'M FUCKING SORRY!", I yelled as I flew towards the sky.

If I was going to do something good, it might as well be the last thing I do before I die. Quickly, I flew towards the solar flares which had entered the atmosphere. I could feel my magic and life force leaving me as the knife was still stuck to me.

In a matter of seconds, I came face to face with the brilliant orange waves of fire that were approaching. Using every single bit of energy I gained due to Hatred, I began to absorb all of the flares, wave by wave.

The first one singed my fur a bit but I did not lose my concentration. The second one was absorbed with no difficulty. The third one knocked me back a few meters but I quickly regained my composure. The fourth to sixth waves were also absorbed easily until only the largest one, the seventh and the last wave approached.

The wave was so large that it seemed like the break of dawn again.

This one did more damage to me than I expected. The skin was completely burned off from my front left hoof. I stared in shock at the skinned and charred hoof. Despite the pain, I carried on.

I screamed my lungs out as I absorbed it all. I panted as the knife did its job of draining my life force completely. I pulled the knife out as I began to fall towards the ground.

I displaced my mind to where Celestia was. Like I expected, she found the note I left behind. She and the others were sobbing as they read the note.

"_When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done,_

_Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed;_

_And don't resent me and when you're feeling empty,_

_Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest"_

I smiled and closed my eyes as I fell. Finally, I had done something worthy.

"Back so soon?"

I opened my eyes and found myself face to face with Nessaj.

"I guess you could say that", I said, the smile still not coming off, "So, I'm dead now, am I?"

"I'll answer that question later", Nessaj helped me up, "You left so quickly that I did not have the time to tell you something"

"Well, I have all the time in the world now", I said, I did not mind being dead or in just some near-death comatose.

"You remember what Darhcrow said about him being Hatred? Well, I'm Insanity", he changed into the pony I hated the most.

"What the fuck?! You?", I yelled, "Why the fuck did you have to ruin my life?"

"Did I?", he eyed me, then I remembered what Darchrow said earlier.

"At least, you could have appeared later", I felt defeated, "So, I cut myself in the library then"

"Nope, that was me", the grin I despised returned, "Anyway, I'll be visiting you again so you better be ready this time", he smirked

"I'm not afraid of you anymore so that won't be a problem", I smiled

"That's the spirit", he patted me on my back, "Ya know, ponies get scared easily, they don't understand the kind of fun I like to have"

"You mean stabbing others is fun?", yep, he's definitely Insanity.

"Of course it is", he said as he stabbed me

"Ow", I sarcastically said before stabbing him, "How do you like them apples?"

"That's what I'm talking about", he said as he removed the knife, "You're a good sport. I'll give you a prize"

"What prize?"

"I'll allow your mind to live while your body recovers"

"So, I'm alive?"

"Barely, you can thank Darchrow for that", he turned back to Nessaj, "He lowered the intensity of that last solar wave so you could live. Oh and he'll completely heal you tomorrow noon"

"What about Bane?"

"He's always been here. He's just waiting for the right time to appear"

"What's happening?", I saw my limbs disappear into nothingness.

"I'll see you soon", Nessaj waved me goodbye.

What the heck? Darchrow saved me? And Nessaj is Insanity? Damn, why in the world can't I have just a normal fucking life without theses damn weird craps?

Soon, I found myself suddenly standing next to a bed where my body was laid. It was the Canterlot hospital. I could see every single one of my injuries. All the fur on my body was singed, my front left hoof was covered with a cast due to the burning of skin to bone and the wound caused by the knife was stitched up due to a deep cut.

Celestia was near me and so were Cadance and Shining Armor, whose abdomen was covered due to being thrown around. Luna had been sent to the castle to calm the masses under Celestia's orders.

I read Celestia's mind and could see that she was still beating herself on the inside for the mistake she made years ago. "If I hadn't sent him to Tartarus, none of this would have happened", her eyes were red from crying.

"Please, princess, stop blaming yourself", Shining told her before turning to my body, "It really is a miracle he was able to survive the last wave".

"I wish we could heal him. If only the magical barrier surrounding him could be destroyed", Cadance said.

I saw that I was indeed covered by a small veil of magic. I believe it was the residue of the barrier I created for the solar flares.

"Hey, you can talk to them telepathically if you want", Nessaj told me

"Really?", I asked in surprise

"But you'll have to very close. You may have to whisper", he said before his presence faded

"Here goes nothing", I said as I approached Celestia. I moved my mouth near her left ear before speaking.

"Tia?", how long have I waited to say that again

Celestia looked surprised. She stared at my body but there was no movement.

"What's wrong?", Cadance asked

"I-I thought I heard something", she admitted. She must have thought she was hallucinating

"Tia? Dammit! It's me...Azel", I nearly shouted

This time however she decided to talk using her telepathy. "Little brother?", she asked

"Stop crying. Damn, I'm not dead you know", I told her.

"But how can you speak with me when you're..."

"My mind is out of my body so I am free to talk to whoever I want"

"I'm sorry. So sorry" her tears dropped to the floor again

"Me too...just stop crying", she complied, "But I'm not in the mood to fully forgive you. Look, my body will be awoken tomorrow noon so don't listen whatever bullshit the doctors tell you"

"But...your condition is..."

"Someone's going to heal me. Don't worry, I'll meet you soon"

"Please forgive me, okay? I have been a bad ruler and an even worst sister"

"Like I said, I'm not ready to forgive and forget yet. But, I don't have any venomous hate for you anymore. I'll explain everything to you. Farewell", I moved away from her.

She smiled at my body. She reached over and gave my body a kiss on the head before she fell asleep. After that conversation, I guess she was calmer. So, what should I do now? There's still half a day before I wake up.

I decided to go and give Luna a visit next. Before I left, I gave my two friends a hug. "Did you feel that?", Shining looked startled.

"Yes, it was almost like...", Cadance looked at my body, "no no...it's not possible". I chuckled before heading towards the castle.

Luna had just finished explaining to the presses about what happened. She told them that the flares were just some random cosmic event and the blackout was due to a botched spell. She did not say anything about me at all. I could see that Twilight and her friends were staying at the castle.

Some hate lingered in my mind but it was a reasonable one. I was never ready to forgive Celestia before and I sure as heck ain't gonna do it right now, maybe later if the conditions are right. I headed towards Celestia's chambers. I bounced on the bed like a little foal before lying down (even though I was just an intangible spirit)

Man, it's been quite some time since I've been in a bed like this. I looked around and saw that not much had changed since I left for Tartarus. Suddenly, a notebook popped out of nowhere. I tried to open it but realized I had no body.

"Need help?", Nessaj appeared again

I shrugged. "Why can't I use my magic?", I asked

"The knife drained all of it. Darchrow will restore it tomorrow", he said as he began to flip the pages, "I'll read it for you, okay?"

"Fine"

"Looks like it's your sister's journal", he said, "Maybe we shouldn't..."

"Read it", I said sternly, "Start from the day I tried to murder her"

"Okay...Ah, here it is :

"_Today was the second worst day of my life. I had to banish the only sibling I had left to Tartarus. Despite the judgment being made a few hours ago, I have already regretted it._

_I was weak. I was scared but alas, the damage has been done. I know he will hate me forever for this mistake"_

Should I continue?", Nessaj noticed I had tears in my eyes. I nodded an answer.

"This is from the next day :

"_I never thought I would have ever felt this much guilt. I was unable to talk properly the entire day. All I could think about was Azel and how miserable he would feel. _

_If only there was something I could do to reverse my judgment. I would give anything to see tomorrow with him by my side again"_

"Let's stop there", Nessaj kept the book back to its place as I began crying.

"I can't believe I had the mind to hate her", I cried, "She so did not fucking deserve this"

"Forgive her. It will make you feel better", he told me

"I already have", I managed to smile a little.

"Come on, you have an urgent meeting with Darchrow", he gave me his hoof and helped me up

I could have sworn I heard a maniacal laughter for a second. I dismissed the concern and followed Nessaj. Little did I know, a certain entity was watching us the whole time.

"Heheehaahahaha Start the final war! HAhahahahaeheeah"

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Update will come soon. See you later.**


	6. Chapter 6 : Wake

**Chapter 6 : Wake**

**A/N : Whoa, thanks for all the reads and the reviews. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too**

The majestic blue alicorn was standing before me again. He looked a bit annoyed.

Standing beside me was Nessaj who gave me a nod.

"So...you have forgiven your sister? You love her again?", he sighed

"What's wrong with that? Oh...you hate love", I couldn't help but snicker

"Let's be serious for now", he said so I quickly shut up, "I gave you my powers and to fully use my powers to the maximum, you need a little bit of hate"

"Hate? Sorry, but I've made up my mind to start a new life without kind of hate shit", I retorted. Something told me Darchrow didn't like that.

"Isn't there anypony you hate?", he asked. He was hoping I had at least some bit of hate left.

"Nope"

"Nopony at all?"

"Yep"

"What about your cousin?"

"Blueblood? Nah, I only pick on him for the lulz. No hate"

"Just face it, Darchrow", Nessaj spoke, "He's all out of hate"

"There must be somepony you could hate", Darchrow scratched his chin, "How about Bane?"

"I've never met him before", I replied.

"I give up!", he shouted in anger

"Wait, there may be one pony I could hate", I realized

"Who?"

"You", I pointed at him

"Me?"

"Yes you, it was because of you that Celestia and I had to get through all those shitty things"

"Okay, I'll take it", Darchrow said as he started to fade, "I'll see you again tomorrow afternoon"

"What should we do now?", I asked Nessaj

"Why don't you enter your little friends' dreams?", Nessaj suggested

"Thats not a bad idea", I said as I found myself back in Canterlot castle albeit in spirit form. I could see that Nessaj had decided to let me do this on my own.

I phased through walls before I reached the room where Twilight and her friends were. But, things looked bad, they were sleep-talking and I could see they were having nightmares except for the pink one who was giggling in her sleep. Without a second thought, I entered Twilight's dream first.

I dropped right in front of Canterlot castle although it looked like it had been burned down. Laughter caught my ears and I looked to the sky and saw Hatred flying as solar flares ravaged the surroundings. Burned corpses of ponies were everywhere.

"Stop it!", I could hear Twilight screaming.

I turned to my right and saw her shielding Celestia's body from the onslaught. She herself had been badly burnt by the flares.

"It's Judgement Day, bitch!", Hatred shouted as another wave fell.

Out of instinct, I rushed over to Twilight and summoned a shield around her. Apparently I could use magic in dreams. I remembered a book I read about dreams saying that unless I was Luna, I should not make the dream lucid for the dreamer.

"Run", I ordered before I turned to Hatred, "Bane..." I growled

"Azel...", Hatred growled back before he disappeared.

"Santa?", Twilight looked at me dead in the eye.

"Let me heal you", I played along, trying my best not to make the dream lucid for her. I wasn't Luna and if the dream became lucid, I would be killed by the projections (the other ponies in the dreamer's dream) and there was a very high chance that I would be unable to wake up ever again.

"Santa? But weren't you Hatred?", she asked. "Sorry, it wasn't me", I said as I finished healing her.

Slowly, due to the absence of Hatred/Bane, the nightmare waned until everything was fixed. The ponies were revived and so was Celestia. Seeing that my work was done, I decided to bail out.

I saw that Twilight was now sleeping a lot more peacefully. However, the other five still had nightmares.

I decided to enter the rainbow maned pegasus' dream next. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I found myself flying above a group of pegasus who were chasing the rainbow maned one.

I could recognize the group as the Wonderbolts.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to", the rainbow maned one said as she tried to avoid being captured by the group.

"You disgraced us, Rainbow Dash. We can't forgive you for that", one of them growled as they flew faster. So, that was her name.

"I'm sorry!", Rainbow Dash yelled as she flew away, leaving a sonic rainboom in her wake.

Apparently, she must have had a nightmare about disgracing her idols, the Wonderbolts and now, they were after her. I teleported behind Rainbow Dash and created a small barrier which blocked the Wonderbolts from reaching her.

The Wonderbolts cursed and yelled as Rainbow Dash flew away.

I noticed that the Wonderbolts had seen me. I gulped as I realized that I may have turned the dream lucid. However, to my surprise, they just disappeared into nothing.

"Bane? That was a close one", I heaved a sigh of relief. That was an indeeed close one. If they were projections, I would have been trapped in this nightmare forever.

"Looks like this one's good now", I thought before Rainbow Dash turned around and saw me

"Hey...Have I seen you before?", She shouted

"Nope", I quickly disappeared

Rainbow Dash was sleeping better and her murmurs stopped. I took a breather before noticing that the yellow pegasus, the white unicorn and the one with the hat were reacting almost simultaneously.

"Dream sharing? Fuck!", I cursed. Shared dreams are the most difficult to handle of all the dreams. Due to the vast amount of projections from each dreamer, there was a 80% higher chance of the dream becoming lucid if an outsider interfered. As I contemplated whether or not I should enter their dreams, a certain alicorn walked beside me. Luna.

"What...the?", I almost yelled as I felt a hoof behind my neck. The next thing I knew, a kiss landed on the side of my face. "Sister, do you really have to do that?", I said. I was never really use to this huggy-wuggy stuff for a long long time.

"I had never seen you in the flesh before, little brother", she kissed me again, "Isn't it a bit unfair that I should not do this?".

"One more and we're good, alright?", I scowled before she gave me another kiss, "Wait, how can you touch me when I'm supposed to be intangible?", I suddenly realized.

"I'm entering dreams too", she gave me a smile, "I noticed you so I came here".

"Really? Cool", I commented.

"That was a brave thing to do, sacrificing yourself", she hugged me tight, "But don't ever do anything like that ever again".

"I don't plan to", I smiled. At least, I had someone I could talk to without scaring the shit out of them. "Looks like their dream...I mean nightmare sharing", I pointed to the three ponies.

"Oh dear, nightmare sharing? That has never happened before", her smile turned upside down.

"I was going to go in and fix it", I told her and as I anticipated, she protested.

"No, dear brother, nightmare sharing is a very dangerous situation. You might be trapped in the dream forever", she stared into me.

"You know I can't let you go in and face Bane alone", I smirked.

"Bane?!", she said in shock, "Bane is back?!"

"You heard of him?"

"Of course, he is the source of nightmares everywhere. He is almost unstoppable and if he gets enough fear from nightmares, he will be invincible"

"All the more reasons to stop him", I said before I entered the dream

"Wait for me!", I could hear her following me.

Soon, we were separated. I wanted to check on her but I quickly changed my mind as I heard the yellow pegasus' voice from her house. I dashed towards her house and peered through a window.

She was surrounded by five black manticores. I could see that she must have had a nightmare about not being able to control wild creatures and that they were about to hurt her.

I crashed through the front door before confronting the manticores. They were different from regular manticores in the fact that they had no eyes and that they had three rows of teeth. "Over here, little kitties", I taunted before three of them pounced on me. I threw two of them outside before I nerve striked the third.

The fourth one grabbed me from behind but I managed to throw it forward and it landed on a table, breaking it into smaller pieces. "Did they hurt you?", I asked the yellow pegasus to which she nodded.

"T-Thank you, Azel", she said. _What? _There's one more manticore? Of course, I knew that but if I let myself defeat all five right in front of the dreamer, I might make the dream lucid. So, to make the nightmare a tad bit realistic, I decided to let the manticore drag me outside.

And then, without warning, the last manticore grabbed me with its front paws before it threw me outside. Now that I was out of sight, I made the manticore chase me before I knocked it out with a well timed kick to the side of its head.

As I expected, the manticores disappeared just like Hatred and the Wonderbolts did before.

I stealthily went back to the house and saw that there was no wreckage at all. It was as if the fight never occurred. I smiled as I saw the yellow pegasus preparing a meal for her little critters.

Now that this one was done, I flew high in the sky and towards a familiar barn where I saw some pitch black ponies who had tied up the orange earth pony as they stole her harvest. "Please, leave some for us", she shouted

The black ponies did not answer, they only raided tree after tree while paying no attention to the crying mare. I crept up to two ponies who were guarding the mare before knocking them out with a nerve strike. I untied the orange pony from behind.

"What the...?", she asked in shock as the ropes came off. I quickly moved out of sight before she fixed her eyes on the other black ponies who were staring at her.

Suddenly, every black pony rushed towards her. I knew she was going to be restrained again so I stood next to her.

"Azel?", she asked in surprise.

"Let's show these varmints why they should not mess with us, shall we?", I smiled.

Soon, we took out more than half of the ponies before the others ran away. Seeing this as my chance, I began pursuit of them. "Where're ya going?", she asked me.

"They won't escape me", I shouted as I chased them.

Before long, I was out of her sight and I managed to capture one of the ponies.

"Curses", the pony snarled before disappearing

"Bane..you're not going to win", I snickered before I returned to check on the orange pony with the hat.

I stared from a distance and saw that all the trees had their fruits back and that she was happily collecting them.

Two down, one to go. I began flying away from the site towards the place where I saw Luna before we got separated. I flew closer and saw it was a boutique. What would I face next? Grumpy customers? Petty thieves?

"Princess, get out of the way!", I heard the white unicorn cry out. The next moment, Luna was thrown towards me and the both of us fell to the ground.

"Azel, you okay?", Luna asked the pony she was sitting on.

"Been better", I slowly stood up before staring at the boutique, "So, what's happening in there?"

"It's Spike, Twilight's assistant", Luna began moving closer, "In this nightmare, he's a rouge dragon and he's trying to destroy Rarity"

"The white unicorn?", I asked

"Yes, I'm afraid Bane has made Spike much stronger. It must be his last resort", Luna flew inside the boutique.

"Wait for me!", I shouted as I followed her inside.

The inside of the boutique was mostly destroyed. Broken pieces were here and there. Rarity was crying her eyes out as she witnessed her beautiful store being destroyed and in the middle was a menacing purple dragon, fire coming out his nostrils.

"Take this, Ban...Spike!", Luna shot a beam at the dragon who seemed unaffected by it.

"Get Rarity to safety, I'll take care of this", I told Luna before I transformed into my human form and tackled the dragon, making him fall down in the glass littered floor.

"Arghh!", he screamed in pain as the broken glass pierced his rough skin.

"Come on", Luna grabbed the crying unicorn as they flew out of the boutique.

"Bane, give it up", I landed a punch on his back, causing the glass pieces to dig in deeper.

"Never!", he shot a blast of fire at me. I managed to dodge in time only to find my right arm being crunched by a row of sharp teeth.

"Dammit!", I shouted as I tried to remove my arm from the dragon's mouth.

He sunk his teeth deeper before sporting a sadistic smile.

"Oh shit!", I exclaimed as I braced myself. The moment, I felt a painful burning sensation on my arm before I pulled it out, Bane had burned my arm and there was no way I would be able to use it for now.

"I suggest you yield", he growled.

"Heck no!", I rushed over and avoided his claws. With cat-like reflexes and a little bit of luck, I reached over and slipped my forefinger in a small slit near his neck.

"Noooo...", he said before succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Three down", I transformed back to my normal pony form.

Quickly, the dragon disappeared as the boutique began to repair itself in the blink of an eye. I flew out and stared from behind a cart. Soon, I saw Rarity returning to her store with two customers.

"Job done", I heard Luna's voice, "What's with your hoof?". Damn, she noticed it.

"Um...time to get out", I faded before her eyes

I returned to the room where Twilight and her friends were sleeping. A smile came across my face as I saw theirs. "You should be more careful", Luna scolded me as she placed her hoof around me.

"At least we're done for the night", I smiled.

"Maybe for you but not me", she began to walk away, "I have a few more ponies to visit. So, goodbye, dear brother", she kissed me on my head.

"Cut it out", I brushed her off. "See you later", she giggled as she disappeared.

"Hehaheehehaha"

"Who's there?", I looked around, trying to conjure magic but realizing I had no magic in the real world.

"Here I am hehehaha", Bane appeared in front me.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU!?", I screamed loud at the ...monster in front of me.

The monster was purple and had a mouth with sharp teeth and he had no eyes. He had four arms, one each on his shoulders. There was a pinkish heart which covered his whole chest and abdomen. He had four stumps for legs which gave him a ghostly centaur-like appearance. He levitated in the air while a black fluid oozed from one of his hands.

"I am Bane...ehehaahaa", his maniacal laughter ringed inside my head.

His laughter awakened Twilight. "What's that racket?", she said with an annoyed tone before she saw Bane, "W-Who the hay are you?". Twilight voice caused the others to wake up.

"Twilight? Nightmare?", Rarity asked.

"Oh goody hehehahaha you precious little ponies are finally awake hahaha", Bane grinned, "Enjoyed your nightmares?"

The girls were too scared of the monstrous figure to talk let alone act. Now that I had gotten over my own fear, I decided to talk to Twilight.

"Twilight, it's me, Santa", I whispered, "Talk with me using your thoughts"

She freaked out a bit but she resorted to telepathy soon. "Azel, is it really you?", she asked

"Yep it's me. My mind was displaced from my body so I'm free to roam till I'm better. Listen; just scare him off with a beam or something. I have no magic left so I can't help you"

"Scare him off? He's the one petrifying us right now"

"Heed my voice and not him. Just...fucking...shoot"

"Okay", she closed her eyes before shooting a beam at Bane.

"Hahaha, nice", Bane managed to smile as he barely avoided it, "I'll see you all later", he said before turning to me, "Especially you, Azel"

With that, Bane disappeared into the night. It took a few minutes before there was movement from the girls.

"I-I did not j-just see that t-thing, right?", Rainbow Dash asked her friends

"He looked like a scary piñata", the pink one commented.

"W-Where's Fluttershy?", the one with the hat asked

"Oh, the p-poor dear had fainted", Rarity noticed the unconscious pegasus.

"Azel? Are you there?", she talked telepathically while the others tried to process what had just happened.

"I'm here", I still could not believe how grotesque that shit was, "That must be the source of the nightmares"

"You heard of him?"

"From somepony, yes. He's Bane. He's been haunting me with his voice throughout my life"

"Is he really coming back?"

"Yes, he is. But he'll come back only when we're not prepared"

"Is that why he came tonight? Because we had just been attacked by..."

"Probably. He'll take any chance to get us Get back to sleep. He won't come back tonight"

"Goodnight. I really hope you'll get better soon", she smiled.

"Twilight! What are you smiling about? Didn't you just see what happened?", Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Sorry, let's get back to sleep", she said as she lay down.

"What if that monster comes back?", Rarity asked

"Well, we'll take 'im down, won't we?", the one with the hat said. I've got to admit. I liked the bravery of this one.

"Sure, sure", Twilight yawned before falling asleep. The others soon followed suit.

I smiled as I saw the six ponies sleeping peacefully. Bane was not going to return anytime soon. But I had a gut feeling that if he returns, he will be the biggest threat Equestria has ever known. Slowly but steadily, I trotted back to the hospital. There were two ponies I just had to talk to.

**A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter. Stay tuned for more and please keep reviewing.**


	7. Chapter 7 : Reunion

**Chapter 7 : Reunion**

**A/N : Whoa, 60+ reviews. Thanks for all the support; it means a lot to me.**

Cadance was already asleep when I returned to the hospital while Shining was still awake, although I could see he was fighting the urge to sleep. He was looking for any signs of movement from my motionless body. I sat next to him and stayed silent for an hour.

"Come on...you're not gonna sleep on me, are you?", I joked as I saw him about to fall asleep. His ears suddenly perked up and his eyes were fixed on my body.

"Must be my imagination", he said to himself before drifting off to slumber land. I gave him a "pat" on the head before I left the hospital again.

"Why don't you give their castle a visit?", Nessaj appeared again

"You mean in the Crystal Empire?", I asked

"Yup, come on, I'll use my magic to get us there faster", he put a hoof around me

In a flash, we were outside the border of the Crystal Empire which was right in sight. "You'll find the castle soon enough", Nessaj began to disappear, "I'll be back later".

I admired the beauty of the Crystal Empire before I began to trot towards it. "Whoa, Shining and Cadance are the rulers of this beautiful place?", I thought to myself before I noticed a black slimy trail along the ground.

"What the fuck is this?", I reached down to take a better look. It looked like the same kind of fluid that was pouring from Bane's right hand.

I followed the trail which led to a forest. If Bane was here, there would surely be trouble. I've had enough troubles myself mainly due to interference from unwanted fundamentals and ancient entities so I was ready to put an end to all of this.

Strangely, the trail soon stopped. I stared around and saw that the small critters nearby were having nightmares judging from their troubled states.

As I began to ponder why the trail had abruptly ended, a black drop of fluid fell from the sky. Fearing the worst, I slowly looked upwards. Bane?

Nope, the fluid came from a light amber unicorn who was sleeping on a makeshift hammock above me. This mare had a vivid crimson mane and tail with yellow stripes. Tears were forming in her eyes.

I deduced that Bane had probably been here. I could also see that black fluid was pouring from her front right hoof, probably an indication that she was having a nightmare.

I floated near her and I began to enter her dream.

With a thud, I landed on an unpadded portion of a floor. It was a castle. I soon recognized it as Celestia's castle in Canterlot. I galloped along the hallways, and strangely enough; there were no guards in sight. I kept moving along and saw that unmistakable blast marks were present along the walls. I could also see some fur and hair scattered on the ground. Probably, there was a struggle here.

And then a faint sound caught my attention, it sounded like...Celestia. I turned myself undetectable and moved closer and closer to Celestia's voice until it became clearer and clearer. I could now make out a few words, "prison...death...betrayal is not accepted...the penalty".

"What the fuck is happening?", I thought to myself as I kept on going. Was Celestia persecuting somepony? I almost forgot this was a dream before I realized anything could happen in a dream. Anyway, in a matter of seconds, the voice led me to the throne room.

Celestia and Luna were sitting on their respective thrones looking like somepony had seriously pissed them off. Before them was the amber unicorn from before.

She was chained at her neck and at her hooves and held by seven royal guards. There was also a masked guard who was zapping her with an electric staff at intervals. She was crying and pleading with Celestia to forgive her and to let her go. I decided to first hear out Celestia before acting as I believed this nightmare was nothing but a possible outcome which had not happened in reality.

"Silence! Betrayers are not tolerated and the penalty is death by sword", Celestia's words pierced my ears. I could not believe it, Celestia, the ruler who was loved by almost everypony had just sentenced a pony to death before my very eyes.

"Please! Forgive me!", the crying mare shouted as she was being secured tightly to the ground so as to prevent any movement. Sure, I may have witnessed many deaths before, mostly at my own hooves but this, this felt different. Despite it being only a dream, I could not help but feel pity for this pony.

The masked pony placed the zapper on the ground before producing a broad sword which looked like it had been designed for this sick purpose. The pony then turned to Celestia for the approval. "Sister, give the word", Luna coldly said.

"Do it", Celestia gave the order. The amber unicorn braced herself for her end and the cold blade to go through her neck.

Suddenly, the blade flew right out of the masked pony's grasps before it impaled him/her, resulting in an instant death. The next moment, the chains broke off of the unicorn before they spun around, hitting the guards who were restraining her right at their heads, cracking their skulls on impact.

Celestia and Luna looked on with shock in their eyes as eight of their guards were suddenly killed right in front of them. Using my telekinesis, I tore the red carpet on the floor into thin strips. Without hesitation, I wrapped the strips around the necks of the remaining guards, choking them out before breaking their windpipes.

"What? Bane isn't present in any of the guards?", I looked in surprise as the bodies of the guards just laid there without disappearing like I expected them to.

"Sunset Shimmer, what have you done!?", Celestia was now in full rage mode.

"N-Nothing, I didn't do this", she was barely able to explain after seeing the ponies who were killed right before her.

"Celestia? Bane is Celestia?", I thought before I revealed myself.

"W-Who are you?", Sunset Shimmer asked.

"I am Azel", I told her, "I'm the one who murdered all these guys".

"W-What!?", she screamed in shock. She must have never seen a pony with no value for life.

"Give it up", I tackled Celestia, the force causing us to break the wall behind us.

"This was going to be a feast but you just had to ruin it, didn't you?", Celestia turned into Bane, "You're such a spoilsport hahaheheheehaha". "

Wherever you are, I will always be there to clean your mess up and maybe you too while I'm at it", I blasted Bane away from me.

"No, my dear pony hehehahehahe", he grinned before disappearing, "I'm the one who's always there".

I returned to the throne room which had been repaired. Everypony who was killed by me was revived and there was no sign of Sunset Shimmer. I used my Solid Snake-like skills as I moved towards a room which was guarded by two guards.

I phased through the wall to the room and saw Sunset Shimmer who was happily practicing some spells. Now that my work was done, I gave Bane a "fuck you" with my mind before I left the dream.

When I got out, I could see that she was on the verge of waking up as the sun had risen. I went back towards the Crystal Empire before I was stopped by her voice.

"Azel?", she asked nopony, she was wiping her eyes, "Oh, it was just a dream".

"Just a dream?", I whispered to her.

"W-Who's there?", she was shocked by the surprise answer before she fell the ground.

"Whoa, calm down", I told her as she slowly stood up. I could see that she had not sustained even the smallest scratch from the fall.

"Azel?", she asked again, this time she calmed down a bit, "Prince Azel? But you're at Tartarus, aren't you?". She must have not been here yesterday as everypony everywhere had heard of my return.

"I escaped from Tartarus yesterday, I'm talking to you through long range telepathy or whatever shit that is", I replied. I did not care to tell her about me being Hatred and trying to kill Celestia and destroy Equestria and about being a mind out of body.

"Please forgive me", she pleaded, "I'm sorry for turning my back on your sister".

"Look, I don't give a damn about what you did. It's in the past", I told her, "You didn't do anything to me so don't ask me for forgiveness. I was on the trail of an entity called Bane and you happened to be his destination so I just saved you from being manipulated. Just say thanks and we'll be on our way"

"Okay...Thanks, Prince Azel", she smiled at the space before she headed towards the Crystal Empire.

I tried to follow her but Nessaj suddenly stood in the way.

"Time to go back", he grabbed my hoof.

"I didn't...but I...you...never mind", I tried to protest but I decided it was best to go back.

"Let's go", he said

I took one last look at Sunset Shimmer. I could have sworn I saw a small speck of the black fluid on her right front hoof but I dismissed the thought as I suddenly found myself back in the void.

"What are we doing here?", I asked, "I thought you were taking me back to Canterlot?"

"Well, after your run-ins with Bane in the last few hours, Darchrow wanted to talk to you", he told me before a checkered board materialized between us.

"What's this for?", I asked again as white and black pieces of chess began to form at the opposite ends.

"Darchrow's gonna be a while so to pass the time, I was wondering if you'd like to play some chess", he looked at me while a wall clock was placed next to us.

"Fine. Just one game", I had learnt about the game and mastered the basics when I was smaller.

Three hours later, we were still at it, neither one of us had lost or won. By this point, all our pawns were exhausted. I thought it would be an easy victory but Nessaj was a formidable opponent.

Another three hours had passed. Now, I only had one piece left and as I feared he got me. "Checkmate", he smirked as I groaned. "Damn, you're one heck of a player", I shook his hoof out of respect. "You're pretty good yourself", he turned the compliment. "Wait, we played through the whole morning?", I asked in disbelief as I saw the clock had struck 12:00 pm.

"Time sure flies when you're enjoying yourself, doesn't it?", he smirked as the game and the clock disappeared.

"Darchrow's taking a long time, isn't he?", I said as I saw no signs of the black and blue alicorn.

"He's already healing you", Nessaj told me

"Is that why my back hooves have disappeared?", I noticed the absence of my hindquarters.

"Goodbye", he turned into Insanity, "Have a swell time", he grinned

I didn't say anything; I just smiled as the light enveloped me.

I broke the cast off of my front left hoof out of instinct as I checked to see if it was already healed. The last time I saw it, it was bloody mess of charred bone and burnt flesh. I waved it in delight as I saw it was devoid of any injuries.

I jumped on my bed to loosen the tight muscles around my hooves and back. A doctor came in and stared at me in awe. It took a full minute before she was able to talk.

"Y-Your highness, you're all better?!", she almost shouted aloud.

"Thanks to a friend, I am", I replied as I got off the bed. I began to gallop at full speed towards the exit. I gave the best smile I could muster to the patients and the staff who stared at me. Today was the start of a new chapter for me. No more Insanity, no more Hatred.

The moment I stepped a hoof out of the hospital, a white mare embraced me tightly. "Oh, Azel...I thought I had lost you forever", Celestia tears soaked my left shoulder.

"I miss you too", I hugged her back, "I'm sorry for ever hating you. I'm so fucking sorry".

"I promise, I'll always trust you, always", I began to cry as well.

"Thanks, I won't ever let you get hurt ever again", I smiled through my tears.

"Little brother!", Luna's voice came from a distance before she crashed into her siblings.

"Hey, Luna", I nuzzled her.

"You're okay, now. Please don't leave us ever again!", she wrapped her wings around me and Celestia.

"Say yes", Celestia put head over mine.

"Okay okay yes", I said, "It feels really good...the three of us being finally together".

"It's true", Celestia gave me kiss on the side.

"Tia!", I groaned.

"Yes, it is", Luna gave me one too.

"Could we skip the kisses?", I groaned in annoyance however that only made them happier.

"Come on, dear brother, we'll have a proper announcement of your arrival at the castle", Celestia conjured a teleportation spell.

In a sec, we were at the castle

"I think I'm going to be sick", I grabbed my mouth to prevent excrements from pouring out, I'm used to my own teleportation skills but Tia's always made my stomach turn upside down.

"Oops, sorry", Celestia grinned, "Forgot about that".

"Brother, please make yourself comfortable", Luna made me sit on her throne.

"But, this is your thr...", I tried to step off but she forced me back on.

"Let's not make this about me", she smiled.

"Where's the renegade, aunt Luna?", I heard self-centered crybaby jerk's voice.

"Blueblood!", she scolded the new arrival.

"Azel", he tried to act the most polite as he could.

"Aww...look sister, my favourite butt of jokes has returned", I put Blueblood in a mild side headlock, choking him a bit.

"Azel, please, it's not playtime yet", she giggled at my slight of hoof.

"Yes, Azel, do know your manners", Celestia smiled.

"...*gasp* Yes, it is nice to see you too", he said in disdain before turning away to leave, "What are you all giggling at?", he asked three guards who were behind.

"N..Nothing", one of them tried his best not to smile.

"Hmph! Peasants", he said with his nose in the air, clearly not noticing the loss of mane on his head.

A few seconds later

"AAAHHH! MY BEAUTIFUL MANE!", all present laughed out loud when we heard the prince's scream of surprise, "AAAZELLLLL!"

"Don't worry, it'll grow back", I wiped the tear off my eye, "In about three weeks".

"He won't be making anymore appearances in public, right sire?", one of the guards asked me.

"Sure", I patted the guard on the back before turning to Celestia who was still giggling with Luna.

"Still haven't lost your touch, I see", Tia cuddled me.

"Come on, who would I be if I didn't keep my sense of humor?", I retorted, "Anyway, where's Shining and Cadance?".

"Oh, they must be somewhere around the castle, they were the ones who told us that they saw some movement from you", Luna replied.

Suddenly, I found myself knocked to the ground by a pony. "What pie do you like?", Shining put on his best serious face.

"Umm...3.1428571..." I continued for a few seconds.

"Okay, get up, Azel", he pulled me up before giving me a hug, "You still remembered our code".

"Code?", Luna eyed an eyebrow at Celestia.

"If you think their bonding is strange just because of that, you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg", Celestia said.

"Why wouldn't I?", I broke the embrace, "So, about your marriage...is it really true?".

"Of course it is", Cadance entered the room.

"You...she...Oh holy shit...I don't freaking believe it", the three of us hugged each other.

"When?", I asked.

"A few years ago", Shining replied, "I'm sorry I did not invite you".

"I'm not inviting you two either", I said jokingly but putting the best poker face I could.

Everypony gasped.

"I'm just kidding. I've already forgiven and forgotten. What's in the past is in the past", I hugged them tighter, "And Cadance, look at you, you're an alicorn and you still look stunning as always".

"Thanks", she blushed at that remark.

"Hey, that's my wife you're talking to", Shining joked.

"That's my friend you're talking to", Cadance interceded before I could reply.

"So, what did you do at Tartarus?", Shining suddenly asked.

"I rather not talk about it", I faked a smile. 591 murders. That was all I did in Tartarus. I wasn't proud of it and I would rather like it if nopony ever said anything about it.

"Anyway, when are we going to celebrate your return?", Cadance asked.

"That's a good question", I turned to Celestia, "When are we going to celebrate it?".

"Anytime you want", Celestia replied

"How about...the day after tomorrow?", I suggested

"Okay, we'll make it the biggest celebration ever", Celestia told me.

"But, what about the presses? Won't they know I'm the one who caused the attack on the castle and the blackout and the solar flares?", I asked again

"I've taken care of that", Luna placed a wing around me, "I've already told them that it was somepony else, not you?"

"But it was me", Unwanted memories of me storming the castle last night appeared in my mind, "It was all me"

"Please let's forget about that now", Celestia joined the fray, "You're back to your old self and you're back with us. That's all that matters"

"I guess you're right", my smile returned.

A flash of light suddenly enveloped the entire room. After a few seconds, the light dissipitated. Darchrow had arrived.

"Who are you?", Celestia and Luna stood in front of me.

"Darchrow?", I brushed my sister's wings aside to embrace the alicorn who had saved me life and healed me. Even thought he was the one who got me into this mess, he had the heart to save me so I was indebted to me.

"You can call me Grandpa if you like", he smiled

"G-Grandfather?", My sisters stammered

"Grandfather?", I stared at the alicorn, "The fuck?"

**A/N: And Chapter 7 is finished. Please keep on reading and reviewing. And also after a few chapters I might enter . Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8 : Turned Leaf

**Chapter 8 : Turned Leaf**

**A/N: Thanks for your reviews and supports. I may have plans to expand the story to Equestria Girls so please keep on reviewing and giving me motivations. Profanity's coming.**

The three alicorns surrounded me as they embraced. "Never thought Darchrow would be the hugging type", I thought. Apparently, Darchrow was my grandfather who had passed on to the afterlife after his time was up a few millennia ago.

"My my, look how big you two have grown", Darchrow smiled again which freaked me out a bit.

"I thought you had left for the better place", Celestia placed her head on Darchrow's chest.

"I was going to but I was elected for something much better", Darhcrow rubbed Tia's head

"He's a fundamental", I told my sisters

"No way!", Luna was the first to speak out of all the shocked ponies present.

"Yes way", I smirked

"Yes, what little Azel said is true. I am a fundamental", he patted my head, making me smile, "The higher power made me a fundamental and I carried the name of Darchrow ever since"

"S-Should we bow?", Celestia smiled sheepishly

"No need for that", he chuckled, "For now, I'm just your grandfather", he added before looking at me, "Sorry for the harsh test, my dear Azel. It was part of my duty"

"Don't sweat it, gramps. If you hadn't interfered in my life, we would have never reached this moment", I hugged him tighter

"What do you mean by that, brother?", Luna asked, puzzled

"It's not important", I replied before Darchrow could, "What's important now is that we're all here"

"S-Sir, it's a p-pleasure to have you in our humble p-presence", Cadance bowed.

"Rise, princess. No need to bow before me, I would like to thank you and your husband for all they did for Azel", he assured them.

"I-It's not a big deal", Shining replied. He was too mind-blown to see a fundamental right before his eyes.

My sisters and my friends talked with Darchrow for some time, telling him about their adventures and how they were ruling their respective regions. Darchrow seemed happy to hear all that. However, he had to leave due to his duties.

"Do you have to go?", I latched on to the alicorn

"Sorry, but my duty calls me", he smiled, "But I will see you soon enough", he added before whispering, "Keep hating me. It'll be worth it"

"Goodbye", we said in unison as Darhcrow disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.

"You met Grandfather before?", Luna asked

"Yup, it was some time ago", I smiled before I began to leave

"Where are you going?", Celestia wondered

"Oh, I'm just going to meet Twilight and her friends", I replied, "They're still in the castle, right?"

"I'm sorry, brother but they left for Ponyville this morning", Celestia told me.

"Then Ponyville is where I'll go", I continued

"Let me come with you. I want to make sure you're alright at all times", She teleported near me.

"Sis, let me do this on my own, I'm not a little foal anymore", I said. Deep inside I knew that she had no choice but to trust me on this.

"Okay", she gave in, "But please, promise that you will stay with only Twilight and her friends and nopony else"

"I promise", I gave her a hug, "Besides, they are the only ponies I would recognize"

"Be careful", she gave me one last advice

"I will", I said before I flew out of the castle and towards Ponyville.

Ponyville was the friendliest place for strangers. My magical powers had returned but there was something different. It felt like I was sharing control of my magic with somepony else. But soon, I realized Darchrow must have been helping me control this new power. A smile came across my face as I glided. I couldn't help but chuckle at the pegasi and griffons who looked astounded at seeing a unicorn fly with such ease.

A few minutes later, I was becoming bored. And I always get bad ideas when I'm bored. I decided to test my new powers and see if I would be able to fly light-speed again. I transformed into a pegasus before I took a stance, signaling that I was ready. With a burst of sound, I flew at speeds every pegasus would envy. In a split-second, I nearly flew past Ponyville.

Realizing that I had almost gone past my destination, I abruptly stopped, my momentum hurling towards a tree. "Crap!", I braced for impact as I was not able to stop. Fortunately, I transformed into my human form and grabbed a branch with which I spun around before I finally stopped moving. A familiar nauseating feeling returned before I finally threw up.

With my stomach being suddenly emptied, I turned back to my normal unicorn form. "I need something to eat", I said to myself before I noticed a store. "Sugar Cube Corner?", I thought as I approached the colourful store.

A newspaper flew right at my face. Mumbling some profanity, I took it off and began to read the headlines. "Prince of Equestria returns. Azel is in Canterlot", the headline screamed. "Shit!" I cursed, if this newspaper was here, that probably meant that the residents of Ponyville would know about it and would probably anticipate my arrival.

Still cursing, I materialized a coat to cover myself and prevent unwanted attention. I approached whoever was in the store and asked for a milkshake. "Aww...Prince Azel. You can't trick me!", the pink earth pony giggled.

"Pinkie?", I knew her from reading Twilight's thoughts.

"You know me too? Goody! I know the prince and he knows me!", she bounced around me, annoying me so much that I cannot describe it in text...how much it annoyed me.

"Shh!", I lunged at her as I saw someponies looking at us, "I'm undercover right now so I would appreciate it if you'll shut up about me being here"

"Undercover?", she looked puzzled before her eyes shone, "You mean, like a spy?", she squealed.

I decided to lie. "Yes, I'm a spy", I began to adlib, "And right now I'm on a super secret mission to find the um...BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond in the Everfree forest".

"Wow! Can I come too?", she could hardly contain her excitement

"Okay...", I reluctantly said, but since this was a "made-up" mission, it would at least keep her away from other ponies. And judging from her friendly nature, she might blab it to the others that I was here in Ponyville.

"Thanks!", she hugged me tightly before she rushed towards a back room, "Lemme tell Mrs. Cake first"

"Tell Mrs. Cake?", I tried to stop her but I realized they probably would think it was some scavenger hunt or something.

"I'm ready to go!", she returned with two black costumes which looked like a ninja suit.

"Did you have this with you all along?", I asked as I put it on just for the sake of the "mission".

"Mmm-hmm", she nodded as she put her suit on. It would have been hard to tell if it was her or somepony else if not for the unmistakable smile she had behind the mask.

"Come on, we might not find the diamond before night time", I told her as we headed towards the forest. My plan was that we'd "search" the whole forest first and after that, I would tell her that maybe somepony beat us to it and that we would get back when there were not as many ponies as there were in the daytime.

"Oki doki loki", she smiled as we began our "spy mission"

Soon, we had covered about 25% of the whole area. I had to bear her constant singing about how awesome being a spy was. I swear, if I did not have the magic to plug my ears, I would have strangled her.

"Look out", she warned me but it was a tad bit too late. I had stepped into a puddle of mud.

"Fuck!", I yelled as I began to clean the mud off. I heard her gasp. "What?", I stared at the black-suited pony

"What word is that?", she stared at me with a curious look in her eyes.

"What word?", I asked as I finished cleaning.

"That word you just used", she said

"You mean "fuck"?", I asked, "It's a word used to emphasize some sentences. You can use its other forms like "fucking" or "fucked"". I had heard it once or twice during my mind-visit of the human world and it has since stuck to me.

"So, you can use it like "buck"?", she put on her most serious face, "Fuck it! I've done it again"

"Yeah...that's about right", I chuckled at how cute it was hearing her say that word with her voice, "And the best thing about the word "fucking" is that you can fucking put it anywhere you fucking want"

"Fucking Rainbow Dash made a fucking sonic rainboom just a few fucking days ago", she said with a smile.

"You learn quickly, don't you?", I stood up, readying myself to keep moving on

"Maybe", she smiled sheepishly, "What does the fucking word fucking mean anyway?"

"I dunno either", I admitted, "Let's just keep it that way"

"Fuck yeah!", she raised her hoof in approval

For the next whole hour, she sang about how fucking awesome it was being a spy. Finally, after a whole sixty minutes of vocal torture, I found an excuse to get away from the pink pony.

"Stay here", I ordered, "I'm going to search for some food". My stomach was growling at this point and I needed to refill myself.

"Okay", she said before continuing with her song, "_I'm a fucking spy and I'm on a fucking mission..."_

In a matter of minutes, I spotted some berries. Without a second thought, I ate them one by one before I decided to head back. Suddenly, a black figure moved through the foliage rather quickly.

"Pinkie?", I asked.

"Agent Bubble Butt, I thought I lost you", a pink pony wearing a black suit said as she came closer, "Where'd you run off to?"

"Okay, now I'm Bubble Butt? Thanks for the new name. Anyway, I told you I was gonna look for some food, didn't I?", I joked. However, "Pinkie" did not seem amused and her voice sounded less...annoying.

"Come on, I've found the BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond", she dragged me.

"What? Really?", I was surprised. But I dismissed it quickly. She must have probably saw something else and assumed that it was the "BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond".

"Yep, it's just around there", she kept on dragging me.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

A few seconds ago

"..._And we're out to find a fucking diamond, I hope we don't find none..."_ Pinkie kept singing before a white unicorn wearing a black suit appeared out of nowhere carrying three apples.

"Agent Cotton Roll, I've managed to find these appl...", the unicorn said before noticing Pinkie singing, "What in Equestria are you singing?"

"Oh, a new song heehee", Pinkie giggled which puzzled the unicorn.

"Are you sure you're okay? You sound...different", the unicorn sat next to Pinkie.

"I'm fucking okay", she patted him on the back.

"Anyway, here's an apple", he handed her the apple which she quickly ate. She seemed off. "Probably the heat must've gotten to her", he thought as she smiled at him which he believed she had never done before.

"Thanks", she hugged him, making him blush, "So, I'm Cotton Roll, heehee. That's a nice name"

"O-Okay", he pulled himself away from the latching pony, "I saw the BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond some place nearby"

"Oh, you found it already", she perked up, "Yay! Now we're going to fucking succeed in our mission!"

"Umm...should we go now?", he asked

"Of course!", she dragged him, "Where is it?"

"East from here, we won't miss it", he told her. "What in Equestria has gotten into her?", he asked himself

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

In exactly twenty seconds, we reached our destination. "There it is", she smirked, "Told you I found it"

"What the fuck?", I stood up as I took a better look at the diamond, "This...this is the BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond?", I asked in disbelief. I made the name up and it had really existed. Talk about being mind-blown.

"Yep, don't tell anypony but Princess Celestia plans to give it to Prince Azel as a present two days from now", "Pinkie" said.

"Celestia plans to present it to me?", "Pinkie" looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I realized my mistake and quickly corrected myself, "I mean Prince Azel?"

"Yeah, she said it is able to give ponies inner peace", "Pinkie" placed it on her hoof.

"Really?", I asked with tears in my eyes. Celestia really did care for me despite all my wrongs.

"And apparently it works seeing that you're crying", "Pinkie" smirked

"Yup, that's it", I wiped my tears, "So, how did you know about Princess Celestia's plans to present it to me..I mean Prince Azel?", I asked her. It was really strange that Pinkie, out of all the ponies was able to know about it.

"I'm the best spy in all of Equestria, duh!", she said proudly.

"Really? You're the best?", she nodded her answer. That must explain why she had those black suits in the first place.

"Shh...somepony's coming", she dragged me behind a tree as we heard rustling of leaves not far away, "Probably rival spies", she said with disgust as she kept the BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond inside her bag.

"When did you get that bag...never mind", I stopped myself as she glared daggers at me.

"Quiet you fool! The intruders might hear us", she whispered

The next moment, as she anticipated, two ponies wearing similar black suits appeared.

"Huh? It was supposed to be here", the unicorn said as he looked around

"No fair, this means we fucking failed", the other one stomped her hoof.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?", "Pinkie" jumped out and confronted the two dragging me behind her.

"Could we stop with the dragging?", I asked her

"Shut up, Bubble Butt", she scolded me which caught the unicorn's attention

"Bubble Butt? I'm Bubble Butt", the unicorn took his mask off.

"What? Then if you...then he..", "Pinkie" stammered before looking at me straight in the eye, "Alright, who exactly are you?"

"You're not Pinkie? Figures", I took my mask off

"Azel!", the real Pinkie yelled.

"Prince Azel!?", the other two asked in disbelief

"Yup, it's me", I showed them my cutie mark. As if on cue, the two bowed down.

"S-Sorry for my unprofessional conduct against you", fake "Pinkie" apologized.

"What did you do, Cotton Roll?", Bubble Butt asked her

"I rather n-not talk about it", she replied, still trying her best not to face me.

"You can rise", I never liked being bowed to, "So, my sister sent you two to find the BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond?"

"Y-Yes sire", Cotton Roll said

"Well, I'll pretend we never had this meeting for your sake", I said as I dismissed them both, "By the way, Cotton Roll, my friend Pinkie would like to see the diamond"

"O-Of course, whatever you say", she took the diamond out for Pinkie to see.

"Wow! It's so fucking beautiful", she admired it, "Now I see why Princess Celestia wanted to find it"

"Pinkie", I turned to her, "Now, don't breathe a word of this "mission" to anypony, alright?"

"Oki Doki Loki", she saluted me.

"Good girl", I patted her before turning my attention to the two spies, "And I hope you two will do the same"

"S-Sure", Cotton Roll said

"Of course", Bubble Butt obeyed.

"Good, you can go your own way", I waved them goodbye as they left our presence

"Can you believe I dragged the prince of Equestria like he was you?", I heard Cotton Roll say in the distance

"What?!", Bubble Butt shouted

"So, Pinkie, did you enjoy your "mission"?", I asked the pink earth pony

"Yup! And we actually fucking succeeded", she bounced happily, "Give me a "Fuck Yeah!""

"Fuck Yeah!", we shouted together.

"Should we get back? I want to meet your friend who always wears a hat", I told her

"You mean Applejack?" I nodded, "Well, since we're done with our mission we can fucking go back now"

"As you say so", I agreed as we headed back to the store.

A few minutes later, we were back to where we started. Sugar Cube Corner. I took off the black suit and put my coat back on.

"Hey, when are we fucking going to have a fucking mission again?", she asked me eagerly

"...I dunno but I promise we'll do it together again", I replied.

"Thank you!", she bear-hugged me before letting me go, "Here's the milkshake", she handed me what I had been craving

"T-Thanks. How did you know I want this?", I asked, wondering how the heck she was able to know what I wanted when I had never told her about it.

"Just a hunch", she gave me a sincere smile before she waved me goodbye, "Goodbye! Next time, I'll show you my party cannon and oh! We'll have a party!"

"Right!", I waved back as I headed towards the Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack resided.

Soon, I reached the barn where I was tied up yesterday. However, there was nopony in sight.

I could see that the wall that I broke was still not repaired so I decided to fix it as a compensation for disrupting their lives a bit. I took this as a chance to practice my multi-tasking skills as I levitated wooden planks, tools and paint around me. To my surprise, I was able to finish it in a matter of minutes. "Thanks, Gramps", I smiled at the space

As I wiped the paint off of my head, I could hear somepony opening the door. As I expected, it was Applejack and she was balancing a basketful of apples on her head.

"Oh, who are ya?", she said as she put the basket down.

"Just somepony who decided to fix what he broke", I stepped forward so she could see me clearly

"P-Prince Azel!?", she immediately bowed

"Rise! Dammit!", I hated telling ponies to rise after they bowed.

"W-What are ya doin' here?", she asked. She must have been surprised to see royalty in such a place.

"I told you, I came here to fix what I broke", I showed her the fixed wall.

"Ya didn't have to do that, Prince Azel", she said, "Big Mac was gonna fix it anyway"

"Don't "Prince Azel" me", I scolded her in a playful manner, "You were one of the ponies who helped me get Hatred out of my system so you can consider me a friend. Hence, just call me Azel"

"Okay, Azel", she seemed uneasy calling me without my title, "Is there anything you want?"

"Well...there is one thing", I closed my eyes as if I was in deep thought

"What is it? I'll happily do it for ya", she smiled. I could see that she was wondering what I might ask

"I want to take you out...", I grinned as she gulped, "...to dinner as a token of my appreciation for what you did", I gave her a smile

"Dinner? But I'm not...", she tried to say something

"I do hope you accept my offer", I made puppy-eyes

"O-Of course..." she said. Maybe I was a bit too straight forward. Nevertheless, she accepted.

"Good, I'll pick you up at eight", I said before leaving.

"D-Dinner with the prince of E-Equestria?!", I could hear her thoughts. She had not expected this especially after our altercation yesterday.

I chuckled at my actions as I made my way back to Canterlot.

**A/N: Sorry if Pinkie saying "fucking" over and over bugged you. I had a really swell time typing this and I hope you had an equally swell time reading it. I'll see you guys next chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9 : From The Sky

**Chapter 9 : From The Sky**

**A/N : Thanks for the reviews. I've decided to leave out a lot of the violence for the next few chapters so as to give the story a more different feel. Sorry if you miss the violence.**

The sun had set when I finally reached Canterlot. Unlike before, I decided not to go light-speed so as to while away the time enjoying the scenery. I guess I could tell you what I did which made me return to Canterlot so late.

After leaving the Sweet Apple Acres, I turned into a pegasus and flew towards Canterlot, hoping to tell my sisters about what I did today.

I was suddenly derailed from my train of thought by a cyan beam of magic which nearly hit me. "What the fuck!?", I exclaimed as I swooped down, adamant to find the source of the magic.

As my hooves touched the grassy ground, I turned back to my unicorn form as I galloped towards the source.

I was forced to jump towards a tree when another beam flew at me. I glanced from behind the tree and saw a cyan unicorn with a white mane and tail who was wearing a magician's outfit.

"It's no use", the cyan unicorn sighed, "Trixie will never master this spell"

I recognized the spell the unicorn tried to cast. It was a powerful beam called the Counter Beam which can absorb any incoming form of magic, increasing its own power. I was pretty intrigued by this unicorn. She managed to cast two half-Counter Beams in a row without exhausting herself. Something told me that she was more than just your average unicorn.

"One more time, Trixie will get it right this time", she looked determined as she charged energy on her horn.

However, it was merely another half-Counter Beam. She slumped to the ground, dejected at the fact that she could not do it. "Trixie is a failure", she muttered as she cried.

I shot a red Counter Beam above her without warning. And as I anticipated, she looked at the beam before it disappeared.

"Sorry, did I disturb you?", I tried to act as kind as I could

"D-Did you do that?", she asked me

"You mean the Counter Beam? Yeah, that was me", I shot another one towards the sky, "Can you do it too? I mean, you look like a powerful unicorn"

I expected her to perk right up at my words but instead she curled herself more, hiding her face beneath her cape. "Please go away, Trixie is a failure", she said, not even caring to look at me.

"Hey, don't be like that", I shouted before taking a second to read her thoughts, "If you're truly "Great and Powerful", you might as well show the courage to try that spell again. You can't be great if you're a quitter", I wondered if my words came across as a bit harsh.

"B-But I can't do it", she peeped at me

"It's not that hard if you know the trick" I told her. There was no trick but I decided to say that to encourage her a bit.

"What trick?", I could see her whole face now

"Stand up and I'll tell you", I said. She obliged and wiped her tears. "That's the spirit", I smiled

"What trick?", she repeated

"Umm...you must think of the pony you admire the most", I adlibbed.

"Pony Trixie admires the most? That's the trick?", she did not seem amused

"Yes. For example, I admire...Darhcrow!", I pretended to think hard, "...and...there it goes!", I shot another beam towards the sky, "It's as simple as that". Nope, no it wasn't, to perform a perfect Counter Beam, you must be powerful enough. If you weren't powerful enough, you will never perform it correctly and this was the reason I lied to her

"Let me try it now", she cleared her throat before closing her eyes.

I couldn't help but read her mind. "I admire...", she thought, "...Prince Azel!"

"What?!", I almost said aloud

To my utter surprise, it really worked. She managed to shoot a perfect Counter Beam right by me. I stood open-mouthed. My "trick" actually worked.

"Yes! Trixie is Great and Powerful again!", she shouted before she shot another one.

"I-I can't believe it", my mouth curled into a smile, "Haha! It really worked. It really did"

"What do you mean "it worked"?", she smiled at me, "Didn't you think about a unicorn you admired too?"

"That, my dear Trixie, was a lie", I confessed, "You don't need to think about that at all. For the spell to work you must be powerful enough and I am proud to say that you are"

"Thanks...", she tried to say my name but she realized I had not told her yet, "What's your name again?", she asked

"Azel", I simply replied

"You're bluffing", she looked surprised and skeptical at the same time. The look on her face was priceless.

I quickly conjured two shadow clones and a small black hole between us before raising an eyebrow, "Am I?", I smirked

"Y-You're highness!", she tried to bow but I prevented her from doing so.

"No need to bow, anyway, you're quite the powerful pony, aren't you?", I asked

"Not as powerful as you", she said. I could deduce that she was a bit submissive due to her telling me to go away a few minutes before.

"Nice cape", I gave her a compliment, "Did you wear this when you vanquished an Ursa Major?"

"N-no...I mean Trixie d-didn't really..", she stammered. I had heard about that certain episode from Twilight's memories.

"I'm just messing with you", I rubbed her head

"Oh, s-so can you forgive Trixie f-for lying about the Ursa Major?", she pleaded

"It doesn't concern me so you can just forget it", I was kinda sick of ponies asking me for forgiveness, "Anyway, do you wanna learn some spells I picked up while I was at Tartarus?"

"If you could teach Trixie, Trixie will be very happy!", she gave me a huge smile.

"Okay", I floated, "We'll start with the Final Flash..."

We spent the next two hours practicing lesser versions of the most powerful spells ever known to ponykind. To my surprise, she was able to almost replicate every single spell I casted. After she casted the 114th spell, I decided to call it quits.

"Do you have to go?", she held on to me

"Sorry, Trixie but it is getting late and I sure as heck don't wanna make Celestia and the others worried again", I told her

"Oh...so, will we meet each other again?", she asked as she let go of me.

"Yes we will", I said before transforming into a pegasus, "Farewell, Great and Powerful Trixie"

"You too, Greater and More Powerful Azel", she waved me as I flew away.

"Greater and More Powerful", I chuckled at her reply. Soon, I reached my home where Celestia and Luna were waiting for me.

"I'm back", I announced my arrival as I changed back to my unicorn form

"What took you so long?", Celestia put her wing around me

"I was gonna come home two hours earlier but had to help a certain unicorn master a spell", I said as we headed towards the dining hall

"Aww...I'm so proud of you", She nuzzled me, "You've only awaken some hours ago and you're already helping the others"

"It's not like I wanted to. It's just that...I needed to start a new life as soon as I could", I told as she sat down.

"Oh, I understand", Luna gave me a loving smile, "I know how that feels"

"Aren't you going to eat?", Celestia devoured a large piece of cake

"I'm not that hungry", I faked a smile, "Hey, where're my two amigos?"

"Cadance and Shining Armor? They've gone back to the Crystal Empire to prepare for the Princess Summit", Luna told me

"It's going to happen in five days. You can join us if you like", Celestia said

"Thanks, I've never actually been to the Crystal Empire before", I said before remembering seeing Bane near the Crystal Empire, "Do you think they'll be alright? Cadance and Shining I mean"

"Of course, they will be", Celestia replied before stuffing another piece of cake down, "Are you sure you don't want some?", Celestia levitated a half eaten piece near me

"I am pretty sure", I replied as I levitated it away, "Anyway, I'm having dinner with Twilight's friend, Applejack tonight so I'm going to get ready", I left the table

"A date?", Luna mischievously asked

"No, it's not what you think", I could see Luna's and Celestia's thoughts

"My, my, you've got a date already?", Celestia grinned

"Actually it's more of a compensation for the trouble I caused to her family and a token of my appreciation for their help", I quickly exited to prevent them from teasing me further.

I walked along the hallway, ignoring everypony who either saluted or bowed to me.

Soon, I reached the garden. After seeing that I was alone, I conjured up a mirror so I could see what I should wear.

After thirty minutes and sixty-eight pieces of clothing later, I finally found what I should wear. A scarf. Yup, I took almost half an hour to decide that all I should wear was a scarf. At least it looked good on me.

Since there was an hour left, I returned to my old room to read an old Daring Do book.

As I got engrossed in the story, I did not notice that nearly 45 minutes had gone by. I was brought back to reality by a knock on my door.

"Come in", I said, still not taking my eyes off the book.

"Little brother? I thought you said you had a date tonight?", Celestia looked surprised that I was still in the castle.

"I told you before it's not a date it's a...", I suddenly realized I was gonna be late, "Shit! I told her I'd be there at eight", I hastily threw the book away.

"Do you want to use the chariot?", she asked me

"No thanks, I'd rather fly", I replied before giving a hug, "Thanks for asking anyway"

There was exactly 10 minutes left when I finally reached Ponyville. I wanted to fly light-speed but I remembered that I had a scarf on.

I landed at Sweet Apple Acres seven minutes before eight o'clock. I searched for Applejack but I could not find her anyway. Luckily, I saw her little sister who I scared the heck out of the last time we met.

"Hey, sister of Applejack!", I called her, "Come here!"

"P-Prince Azel?!", she yelled before fainting out of excitement.

"Fuck", I cursed before I noticed Big Mac's huge figure behind a stack of hay.

Wasting no time, I flew towards Big Mac.

"Hey, Big Mac", I got his attention, "Do you know where Applejack is?", I asked quickly.

"Eeyup!", he replied

"Where?"

He pointed towards the Carousel Boutique, which if I hadn't mistaken was Rarity's store.

"Thanks", I said as I flew away

Before long, I reached the store and restarted my search. "Applejack?", I shouted.

"Azel?", Applejack exited the store, wearing a beautiful blue dress, "What took ya so long?"

"Daring Do", I replied

"Yeh read Daring Do too? Let's hope yer not as obsessed as Rainbow Dash", she said as we began walking to our destination.

"Heheh yeah...", I smiled sheepishly, "Nice dress", I commented

"T-Thanks, Rarity made it for me", she blushed, "Nice scarf", she said

"Why, thank yous"

"So, where're we goin'?", she asked

"Ever heard of the SkyWyrm?", I grinned

"No", was her honest reply

"It's a super secret place that only a few know about", I said before looking around, watching out for anypony that might see us.

"A secret place?", she seemed puzzled before her smile returned, "Well, it must be a great place if it's secret"

"Yes it is", I said as I teleported the two of us to the SkyWyrm.

The SkyWyrm was a restaurant that only royalties and their guests could go to. Only my sisters and I know it exists, no other ponies have ever seen it or heard of it. To make it even more secretive, it was located high above Cloudsdale where no pony would dare to go.

In a split-second, we reached the doorstep of said restaurant. She trembled a bit from the sudden teleportation but she regained her composure when she saw my smile.

"Here it is", I told her, "The SkyWyrm, a restaurant that only royalties know about"

"Wow, Ay've got to say, that is one grand restaurant", she admired the place.

"Shall we enter?", I asked, trying to act as courteous as I could

"No reason to waste more time", she said as we entered the place.

The inside of the restaurant was made from painted emeralds and everything else was made from gold. Other than the staff, we were the only ponies at the place.

"Now I can see why only royalties know about this place", she alluded to the fact that it must've cost a fortune to build such a place.

"Prince Azel, we've been expecting you", a receptionist said as she held a notebook and a pen, "Where shall we seat you? Your usual place?"

"Hmmm...let's change it a bit. We'll take the seat outside where we can view Cloudsdale", I told her before I turned to Applejack, "You okay with that?"

"Anywhere's good enough for me", she replied

"We'll take it the outside seats then", I told the receptionist as she wrote something down.

The outside seat had a terrific view of Cloudsdale and you could almost see everything that was happening without the pegasi noticing us.

"Never knew Cloudsdale would look this beautiful above, don't ya agree?", she fixed her eyes at the city below.

"Hey look! There's that mailmare with the strange eyes", I pointed to a grey pegasus

"I can't see 'er", I forgot that I had used my advanced vision spell.

"Must be the clouds", I said before I noticed a waiter holding a menu.

"S-sire, what will you be ordering tonight?", the stallion handed me the menu with his shaking hooves.

"What'd you want?", I asked the freckled mare, holding the menu up so she could see it.

"I don't know. I can't afford any of this", she replied

"Don't worry about the price. I'll pay for it. Think of it as my payment for scaring your family", I gave her a cheerful smile

"Yeh serious?", I nodded, "Well, thank you. I'll have whatever you're havin'"

"Okay...I'll have a Hydra's Head and she'll have one too", I joked, "Oh and leave out the tomatoes in mine", I added before I noticed the two shocked faces

"I'm just kidding; we'll have an Apple Surprise and bring a bottle of your best apple cider. Add a fermented mixture to mine", I said as the waiter hastily wrote something down before he left us alone

"You wouldn't really eat a Hyd...", she tried to say

"I told you, it's just a joke", I admitted before muttering something under my breath, "I'd like to eat a Hydra's Head though"

"The moon looks beautiful tonight, don't yeh think so?", she stared at the white heavenly body.

"Yes it is, it almost looks like somepo...wait...LUNA!", I yelled at the moon

"Is Princess Luna watching us?", she said uneasily

"Apparently she is", I replied as Luna appeared in her hologram form before us, "Couldn't you just leave us alone?", I asked her

"You've grown so much", she smiled at me, "Sorry for spying on you, I just wanted to make sure you were okay"

"And also to see if I could really act like a gentlecolt. Thanks", the two mares giggled at my reply.

"I'll leave you two for the night. Enjoy your date, Azel", she left one final message before disappearing

"I TOLD YOU IT'S NOT A DATE! IT'S A TOKEN OF..."I yelled while blushing before noticing Luna was gone, "Crazy sister", I mumbled as I returned to my seat.

"They thought we were datin'?", Applejack's cheeks turned red at the thought of the princesses thinking her to be my marefriend.

"They've just misunderstood what we're doing, that's all", I glared at the moon before noticing Applejack. She was blushing like heck.

"Princess Luna thinks I'm Azel's marefriend", she hid her face with her hat.

"Shit", I said to myself before turning to Applejack, "Hey", she looked to me, "They're just jumping to conclusions, just leave it that way. Don't give a crap about what Luna thought"

"O-Okay", she replied before a waiter placed our orders on the table

To avoid more awkward situations, I decided to shut up as I ate the Apple Surprise. It was the most delicious thing I ate ever since I escaped from Tartarus. I turned my attention to Applejack and smiled when I saw she was enjoying it too.

In a matter of minutes, we finished it all. Without a word, I poured the cider into the diamond glasses.

"That was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten", she told me as she took her glass.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it", I said before raising my glass. She noticed me and did the same.

We clinked our glasses and drank the cider before I got up.

"You done?", I asked with a smile. She nodded her answer, "Good, come on, I'll show you one final trick before we get back", I held her seat for her.

"Thanks, Azel", Applejack said she stood near me

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like flying over Cloudsdale?", I asked her as I stared into the open space

"A few times", she replied before noticing my expression, "Yer not really gonna do it, are yeh?"

"Sorry but I already did", I smirked as I saw her being levitated by my magic.

"W-Whoa!", she flailed around as she was lifted into the air but soon she calmed down

"Let's go!", I shouted as I jumped off towards Cloudsdale, making her follow me

"Azel! I'm fallin'", she yelled

"Are you?", I grinned as she began to slow down. Before long, she was gliding in the air despite having no wings.

"I must admit, yer magic's pretty good", she smiled as we passed below Cloudsdale.

"Look, there's Ponyville!", I put my hoof around her, "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Thanks for showing me this", she admired the sight in front of her

"You know, when I did this to Shining years ago, he cried like a little filly", I told her

"Shining? Twilight's big brother? He really cried?", she asked

"Yep, he actually got to the ground faster than his tears", I laughed at the memory.

"Thanks, again", she gave me a tight hug. "Azel?", she asked as she saw that I was frozen

"Sorry about that. It's been a pleasure spending the night with you", I chuckled before we landed near her home. In the castle, I could feel my two sisters giggling at what had just happened.

"That was one of the best nights I've ever had. I'll never forget it", she smiled

"Same here", I agreed, "I'll see you again tomorrow", I waved her goodbye

"Goodbye", she disappeared soon

As I turned to leave, I noticed three fillies standing behind me with their mouths wide open.

"Hey, if it isn't little Apple Bloom and her friends", I patted them as they continued to stare at me like zombies.

"P-Prince Azel talked to us", the unicorn told the pegasus

"C-cool!", the pegasus exclaimed

"You three look like the best of friends", I smiled at the trio, "Are you?"

"You bet we are", Apple Bloom said proudly

"I'm Sweetie Belle", the unicorn introduced herself, "And this is Scootaloo"

"Nice to meet you three", I said before an idea came to me, "Hey, would you like to meet me and friends too?"

"Yes!", they said in unison

"Good, I'll meet you guys tomorrow, alright?", I turned to leave before saying one last thing to Apple Bloom, "Don't faint on me again", I smiled before I galloped away.

"You fainted in front of Prince Azel?", I could hear Scootaloo ask

"Maybe once or twice heheh", Apple Bloom replied

"Two down, three to go", I said to myself as I made my way back to Canterlot.

**A/N: Wow, never thought I'd be doing some romance but some things are just unpredictable. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter too, stay tuned for more**


	10. Chapter 10 : Three And Three

**Chapter 10 : Three and Three**

**A/N : Welcome to the 10****th**** chapter. Another big thank you to all who reviewed the previous chapters. And also, the food is back.**

The morning greeted me with a ray from sun, nearly blinding me. I was more tired than usual. It was probably due to using most of my magic last night but it sure as heck was worth it. I did some usual exercises like running on the walls before I went to the kitchen for a beverage.

"Ah, little brother, you're finally up", Celestia greeted me.

"Sure am", I greeted her back as I grabbed a cup of coffee.

"I take it you enjoyed your night...lover-colt", she giggled which almost made me spill my coffee

"You're never going to forget that, are you?", I took a sip

"Forget your first date? Never ever", she smiled. Now, she knew exactly how to get me.

"For the last time, it's not a date it's...forget it. Just forget it", I decided to enjoy the cup instead of listening to her.

"Awww...is it too hard to understand that me and Luna are pleased to see that our little brother is all grown up now?", she said.

"Okay, that kinda made sense", I gave her a hug, "But seriously though, I'm not a little foal anymore. I can take care of myself"

"It doesn't hurt to be careful, does it?", she asked

"It doesn't but it sure is annoying", I put my cup down, "Anyway, are Cadance and Shining coming back?"

"Yes, yes they are. They've done their part in preparing for the Princess Summit so they'll arrive in a few hours"

"Well, that's great news", I stretched myself before I headed towards the garden, "I'm taking a morning glide"

"Be careful"

"Yeah, yeah...sure", I mumbled as I transformed into a pegasus

With one powerful flap of my wings, I was able to take to the skies in no time. Slowly, I made my way to Ponyville. I could see that most of the residents had already been up. And then, an old thought crossed my mind.

It had been two whole days since I had eaten my last junk food. The last one was a Dragon Nugget which tasted better than it looked. I scanned the woods for any chicken that might have strayed away from civilization.

The only nuggets I had eaten in the last 13 years were all non-chicken although some tasted like chicken, but now that I was out, I could finally have some normal Chicken Nugget.

"Hey! Azel! You're trying to curb your addiction to Nuggets, aren't you?", I slapped myself in the face.

Although I wanted to eat some Chicken Nuggets so badly, I had no choice but to listen to my conscience. I needed to move on.

"Fuck you, conscience", I said before slapping myself again.

"Prince Azel, are you feeling okay?", a pegasus asked me.

"Rainbow Dash, I presume", I rubbed the side of my face

"Yup, the one and only", she said proudly

"Forget whatever you just saw", I told her before I turned my head towards a glint I saw above me, "What in Equestria is that?"

"Oh, those are the Wonderbolts", Dash sighed, "They're the most awesome group of pegasi"

"I don't see what's so special about them except for their fancy gears or something", I scoffed at her reply which apparently annoyed her

"They're the best fliers in all of Equestria", she tried her best not to raise her voice in front of me.

"Are they?", I smirked before changing my wings into turbines of an airplane.

"Whoa! Awesome!", she admired the new attachments

"I'll be back in 5 seconds flat", I said as I zoomed away towards Canterlot and back to Ponyville.

And then, I lost my focus for a split second, mainly due to spotting a chicken. As a result, the engine died a few meters before Rainbow Dash. "Look out!", I warned her but to no avail.

I crashed into the rainbow maned pegasus and we both fell to the ground. Fortunately, we did not land too hard.

"You're fast but you need to learn how to be focused or else you'll crash", she advised me.

"It was an unavoidable situation", I slowly got up before I changed into my unicorn form, "I think we haven't been properly introduced to each other", I extended my hoof, "I'm Prince Azel aka The Beast of Tartarus and the Devourer of Junk Food"

"I'm Rainbow Dash aka...aka...ah forget it", she accepted the hoofshake.

"If only we had met the first time under more favorable circumstances", I said, referring to when we had a little fight.

"Well, I'm sorry for being unnecessarily angry at you before", she bowed

"And I'm sorry for making you feel like you had lost a friend", I apologized, "This Fluttershy, you're really close, no?"

"She's been my friend for as long as I can remember", she replied

"Good to hear, kinda reminds of my friendship with Shining Armor", I told her, "And also of Chicken Nuggets. I'll never forget them"

"Chicken Nuggets?", she confused at the name

"It's a tasty food that's made from chi...never mind", I realized that she would freak out at the mention of the word "chicken".

"So, what're you doing here? I mean you can go anywhere you want, you're the Prince after all", she said

"I was just having a morning glide, thank you very much", I replied, "Oh, since we've met I'd like to formally thank you for your efforts in helping get rid of my dark side"

"It's nothing"

"I'm still going to give you something whether you like it or not", I stared uncomfortably close at her.

"Y-Yes?", she blushed at seeing the Prince of Equestria so close.

"Have you ever heard of Daring Do?", I asked her. She seemed relieved at hearing that question.

"Yes...so?", her expression changed to that of contained excitement.

"Well, she's going to be present at the celebration tomorrow at my sister's castle", I said. If there was one thing I had in common with Rainbow Dash, it was that we were both Daring Do fanatics.

"Really?", she almost screamed in pure excitement.

"Yup, I read her books too, you know", I smirked, "I've all of her books including special edition ones. You're welcome any time if you want to come over and borrow them"

This time, she was not able to contain it anymore. She flew upwards and created a sonic rainboom while screaming before she finally landed next to me. The sight almost reminded me of the time when I ate my first Chicken Nugget.

"Thank you thank you thank you! This is so awesome!", she hugged me tightly. Yup, the awesome one had gone full Pinkie.

"Dash", I teleported a few feet away, "You just went full Pinkie, never go full Pinkie", I said sternly

"Sorry", she smiled sheepishly.

"Nah, I'm just kidding", I patted her, "I'm just excited as you are. I'm also looking forward to meeting her in the flesh"

"No way!", she seemed surprised that I was a fan of Daring Do

"Yes with a side of ketchup", I grinned.

"So, about the books I could borrow...", she scratched her head

"You can come right now if you want", I transformed into a pegasus

"Really? That is so cool of you!", we both began to fly towards the castle

On our way to the castle, the two of us talked about how cool Daring Do was and how she was the most awesome pony ever. Finally, after two decades, I had found a friend who had an equal interest in the treasure hunter as I had.

"Sis, I'm back", I announced my arrival

"Oh good! You're okay", Tia hugged me, "When I saw those fires on your wings, I was afraid you were burning"

"I'm alright, those were just machines", I pulled away before I remembered Rainbow Dash was with me, "You know Rainbow Dash, right?"

"Of course, she's one of Twilight's friends from Ponyville"

"Well, I'm gonna let her borrow one of my old books, okay?", I turned to Dash, "Wait for me while I get it, alright?"

She nodded so I quickly flew into the library.

As I browsed through the books, I finally found the Daring Do collection. But as I feared, there was something next to it. Something I wished I had never seen again.

Chicken Nuggets Haven

I resisted the urge to pick it up and read it. But boy, was it hard. I had to hold my other hoof so that I would be able to levitate the desired collection of books.

Finally, after a few seconds of trying not to return to my addiction, I managed to throw out all the Daring Do books to a safe distance.

Wiping a sweat off, I began to decide which books I should let her borrow. Daring Do and the Raiders of the Lost Chariot? Daring Do and the Kingdom of the Crystal Necklace?

In the end, I made the easier decision of letting her take all of it.

I levitated the books back to where Dash and Tia were. There were 15 books in total so it was quite a load.

"I'll let you borrow it all", I placed it near the pegasus.

"Thanks", she giggled along with Celestia

"What's so funny?", I raised an eyebrow

"That's a lot of *giggle* books. You should help her *giggle* carry it to Ponyville", Celestia snickered

"Ooookay...what the heck are you giggling about?", I levitated myself and the books.

"Nothing", the two mares replied

"Good, let's go", I flew with the books, Rainbow Dash was right behind me still holding her hoof to her mouth to prevent her laughs from reaching my ears

A few minutes later, I could not take it anymore. "What the heck are you still giggling about? Tell me", I said

"Princess Luna told me and Princess Celestia about what happened last night", Rainbow Dash began to laugh hysterically. Almost like how I laughed when I shaved all of Blueblood's fur off.

"The date...I mean the dinner?", she nodded, "Well, what's so funny about it?"

"Not the actual dinner, your dream dinner", she began her laughing fit again

"What?", I asked before I vaguely remembered my dream, "Oh...that...", I blushed at the memory

"Even if it was only a dream, the thought of seeing AJ kissing somepony is priceless", she continued laughing

"Hahaha", I laughed sarcastically, "Wonder what Applejack might think if you were the one kissing somepony in my dream tonight", I smirked. She instantly stopped laughing and blushed wildly

"W-What! T-That's not awesome!", she stammered at the thought of her kissing yours truly

"Come on, if you don't want that, we need to reach the Golden Oak Library asap", I grinned. She obeyed though I could see that the thought was still stuck in her head as she was still red.

Soon, we reached the Golden Oak Library, however, only a little purple dragon was present.

"Hey, dragon, where's every pony else?", I asked the reptile

"P-Prince Azel!", he bowed as he turned around, "There's nopony here. They've all gone to the Town Square to see Princess Cadance and Shining Armor who had just arrived"

"They're here?", I asked. The dragon nodded an answer, "Well, we'll just leave it here then", I put the books down

"Has Twilight gone to see them too, Spike?", Rainbow Dash asked the dragon.

"Yes, she was the first to greet them", Spike replied as he placed the books in a more organized state.

"Well, if those two have already reached here then I'd best be off as well", I flew out of the library.

"Wait for me!", Rainbow Dash flew right behind me

In a matter of minutes, we reached the Town Square. We could see that most of the ponies had dispersed though there was still a small crowd following the rulers of the Crystal Empire.

Without a second thought, I tackled the unicorn, "What pie do you like?", I inquired my friend

"Umm... 3.1428571...", he continued until I pulled him up.

"Good to see you", I gave him a hug.

"You too", he returned one

"And what about me?", Cadance nudged me

"Good to see you too", I embraced her, "So, I get it you were searching for me?", I asked

"You bet your flank we were", Shining replied, "Princess Celestia told us you were at Ponyville so we came here as soon as we could"

"That's why I love you two", I gave them a tighter hug

"Yep...we love you too", they both gasped before I released them

"Hey, where's Twilight?", I asked before I found myself being levitated away from the two.

"Here I am, Santa", Twilight gave me a loving hug

"Nice trick", I commented before I patted her, "At this rate, you'll be able to whoop your brother's behind in no time"

"Thanks", she smiled

"Hey, should we get back to the castle?", I suggested

"Okay", Shining nodded his agreement

I was just about to begin my teleportation spell when I noticed Apple Bloom and her two friends. "Hey!", I called for them

The trio bowed before us the best they could. It was so cute seeing the three of them trying to bow at the same time.

"I told ya I'd see ya all, didn't I?", I gave each one of them a pat, "Hey, would you like to come to my home?"

"Really?", they asked in surprise and excitement

"You're askin' us to come to the castle in Canterlot?", Apple Bloom asked

"Yup", I replied, "You coming or what?"

"Yeah!", they all said in unison before I began my teleportation spell.

In a flash, we reached the throne room where Celestia and Luna were present. They had finally stopped their laughing fit.

"I'm back...again", I shouted

"Thank goodness you were able to find him", Celestia said to Shining and Cadance before giggling again

"And I've brought three guests", I stepped aside to reveal the three fillies who had been hiding behind me.

"Oh, what precious little fillies", Celestia cooed.

"Hey, how about we play in the garden? A game of hide and seek perhaps?", I suggested to make them feel more comfortable.

"Garden? You're allowing us to play in the garden?", Scootaloo asked. I nodded. "Awesome!", she exclaimed

"Go on, I'll catch up with you later", I said before the three left for the garden.

"Aww...those three remind of a certain trio of troublemakers", Celestia stared at me, Cadance and Shining with a mischievous smile.

"Us?", I raised an eyebrow

"What?", Shining exclaimed as Twilight giggled

"If I remember correctly, it was actually a duo of troublemakers and a pegasus who was always there trying to make them stop", Cadance eyed the two stallions near her

"Never knew you three were that close", Twilight said

"We're closer than you know", I put a hoof each around Cadance and Shining Armor.

"He's right, Twilight. When these three were around together, there was not a single day that went by without any trouble", Celestia smiled

"I wish I was there to see the three of you playing together", Luna sighed

"Come on! I've an idea!", I dragged Cadance and Shining towards the garden

"Azel, what are you doing?", Cadance asked

"I miss the old days, so we're gonna relive them", I replied before letting go of them

"As much I'd love to, we're too old for this", Shining said

"Nonsense", I said before I called out for Apple Bloom and the others, "Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Come here, I've got an awesome idea", I yelled. Soon, the younger trio stood before the older trio.

"What is it, Prince Azel?", Sweetie Belle asked

"We're gonna play hide and seek together", I smiled

"Yeh mean with Princess Cadance and Mister Shining Armor?", Apple Bloom looked surprised

"Yep, they're both goin' to join in", I replied. I could hear them say, "What?", but I chose to ignore them, "I'll be it so you better find a good hiding place"

"But you can use magic and stuff", Scootaloo said

"Use of magic is not allowed and so is flying. We'll do this earth pony style", I said before I transformed into an earth pony.

"Quick! Let's hide", Apple Bloom told her two friends before they ran off.

"1...2...3...4...", I put my head against a wall before I noticed Shining and Cadance still standing next to me, "Come on, don't ruin the fun", I scolded them before continuing to count

"Let's just play along this one time only", Shining said as he and Cadance galloped away.

"I hope I still have the hang of this", Cadance giggled

"...47...48...49...50...Ready or not, here I come!", I shouted before I began my search.

I decided to begin my search from the east side as I heard some rustling of leaves. As I approached the sound, a phoenix flew right at my face.

"What the heck!?", I yelled before the phoenix landed near me, "Philomena?", I recognized the bird, "It's been so long", I stroked her feather before I heard another rustle.

"We'll save the cuddling for later, sorry", I told her before I suddenly rushed into the bush, "Ah ha! Found you, Scootaloo!", I grabbed the pegasus filly before lifting her high up.

"It's not fair", she pouted.

"What's not fair?", I asked

"Apple Bloom knows how to climb trees but I don't", she stared at the branch above me

The next moment, an earth pony fell right on top of me. "Sorry, Prince Azel", Apple Bloom said as she got off me.

"No harm done, still, I've found you", I placed her next to Scootaloo.

"When did you learn how to climb trees?", Scootaloo asked Apple Bloom

"I didn't, that bird helped me", she smiled at the bird

"Cool! A phoenix! Does it have a name?", Scootaloo asked

"Her name's Philomena", the phoenix flew next to the two fillies, "Now, stay with them while I go and find the others", I told Philomena before I headed towards the west side.

Suddenly, I noticed Cadance's unmistakable figure behind a tree. My mouth curled into a grin as I began to sing:

"_One two, Azel is coming for you,_

_Three Four, He'll scare you to your core,_

_Five Six, Grab a whatchamacallit-fix;_

_Seven Eight, Now it is too late,_

_Nine Ten, He is really insane"_

As I expected, Cadance squeaked, revealing herself in the process. "Found ya, Mi Amore Cadenza", I grinned, "When are you going to stop falling for that trick?"

"Never", she smiled

"Anyway, where's Shining and the little unicorn?", I continued my search.

I heard another rustling of leaves behind me. I immediately galloped forward, only to be stopped by a puddle of mud that splashed on me, covering my entire face with wet dirt.

"Hahahhahah!", Sweetie Belle came out of her hiding place to take a better look at me.

"Very funny haha", I said as I cleaned myself, "Did you do this?", I asked her

"No, he did", she pointed to Shining who was standing behind me.

"Mud Puddle Trick...never gets old", he said before dumping more mud on me, "Congratulations you've won"

"Yeah...thanks, a mud bath, I've always wanted it", I began to shake the mud off.

In a matter of seconds, we regrouped again. It took a whole five minutes before the rest of the gang could stop laughing at the Mud Prince

"Well, Did you girls enjoy the game?", I asked the three fillies

"Absolutely!", Sweetie Belle said

"Yup!" Apple Bloom replied

"It was awesome!", Scootaloo agreed

"I think it's time to go back now", I said, making them all groan.

"Do we have to?", Sweetie Belle asked

"Don't worry we'll play another game soon", I smiled

"We are?", Cadance and Shining stared at me wide-eyed.

"Really? Thanks!", the trio gave me a hug before I teleported with them back to Ponyville.

After saying my goodbyes, I was about to return to Canterlot when I saw Fluttershy.

"The French Fries will have to wait", I said to myself before turning to the pegasus, "Hey! Fluttershy!", I called out to the first pony I met since my escape.

**A/N: And that's the 10****th**** chapter. For those waiting for EG to start, it'll begin from Chapter 13 so please wait for it. Thanks for reading, please do leave a review. Chicken Nuggets for life!**

**And here's a summary of all chapters till now:**

**1. Azel escapes from Tartarus – Meets Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and the Apple family – Gets knocked out**

**2. Azel talks about his beginning – friendship with Cadance and Shining – Hears about Insanity for the first time – Insanity nearly kills him**

**3. Azel becomes paranoid – Cured of paranoia–Meets Twilight Sparkle – Becomes Insanity and does bad things – sent to Tartarus – Becomes Hatred**

**4. Azel tells Twilight about his plan – Becomes Hatred again – storms Celestia's castle at night**

**5. Celestia's love frees Azel – Azel nearly kills himself after saving everypony – Meets Darchrow and Nessaj – Mind wakes up in hospital – Forgives Celestia**

**6. Azel finds out about Bane – cures the Mane Six of their nightmares – Mane six meet Bane – Azel tells Twilight not to worry about Bane**

**7. Azel goes to Crystal Empire – Meets Sunset Shimmer and cures her nightmare – Azel finally wakes up – Is greeted by family and friends – Finds out Darchrow is a relative**

**8. Azel reveals Darhcrow is a fundamental – Goes to Ponyville – Meets Pinkie – Goes on a "mission" with her – Offers to take Applejack out for dinner**

**9. Azel meets Trixie – Helps her master many spells – Has dinner with Applejack at SkyWyrm – Meets the Cutie Mark Crusaders**

**10. Azel meets Rainbow Dash – Lends her his Daring Do books – Invites the CMC to the castle – Older "CMC" play with younger CMC**

**Spoiler : Rarity pranks Blueblood with Azel's help**


	11. Chapter 11 : Normality

**Chapter 11 : Normality**

**A/N : Thanks for all the support. It really means a lot to me and so does a warm Cheeseburger. Anyway, let's roll**

"Oh, hi P-Prince Azel", Fluttershy greeted me timidly.

"I really do hope you don't have the wrong impression about me especially after you witnessed two days ago", I grinned

"N-No, don't worry, I know it was not really you who did all that", Fluttershy smiled

"Actually it was me...never mind", I decided not to tell her the truth, "Anyway, I wanted to say thanks for your help in getting my old self back"

"O-Oh, it was nothing", she tried not to remember what had happened that night

"Dang it", I stomped my foot at my absentmindedness. I had forgotten to think of what she would like. I knew Rainbow Dash liked Daring Do but Fluttershy was hard to read.

"W-What's the matter?", she asked

I didn't answer for a few seconds as I pondered what gift would be the best for her. And then I realized it

"You take care of animals, right?", I asked a rhetorical question

"Y-Yes"

"I'll built a better place for you to look after them, what'd you say?", I asked, materializing a hard hat.

"I-It's not necessary", she hid her face behind her mane

"Oh come on, please! It's my present to you for helping me out", I pleaded

"R-Really?", she faced me

"Of course! I'd be more than happy to do this for you", I gave her an assuring smile

"T-Thanks, Prince Azel", she bowed as she headed to her home.

"That was a close one", I thought.

Before long we reached her home which was overrun by critters of all shapes and sizes.

"Could you get them out?", I asked her, "I'm afraid they might get hurt", I added. Actually, I was afraid one of them might come close to me and I might devour them without hesitation.

"O-Okay", she said before ushering every single living thing out of her house.

"Let's do this shit", I said to myself as tools, materials and food began flying in different directions. I hummed a song as the beams, walls and rods began moving in place. In half an hour, I was done.

The place was much more impressive than before. With state of the art technology which could provide each critter with what it needed, it was probably what somepony like Fluttershy required.

"Well, what'd you think?", I said proudly

"C-Could I have my old home back?", she asked timidly

"W-What? Don't you like this?", I almost yelled

"I-I do but the a-animals are scared of it", she replied

I looked at my contraptions and to be honest, if I was a little critter, I'd be terrified by this.

"Okay, I'll undo what I've done", I smiled as I began to destroy all I've built.

The process was faster than the previous one and I finished it in 10 minutes. Everything was back in place as it was before I redesigned it.

"Well, it's back to what it was. Maybe I should be an architect or something", I wiped a sweat off my face

"Thank you", she smiled

"Seriously though, is there anything I could do for you?", I asked as I saw the critters scurry back to their respective places.

Before she could answer, a familiar pink pony burst through the door, taking me down.

"Azel! I've been fucking looking everywhere for you!", Pinkie hugged me

"For what?", I asked as she let go of me

"I wanted to fucking thank you for making me the fucking party director for the celebration tomorrow night!", she squealed.

"Well, what are you waiting for?", I smiled as I waited for the inevitable squeeze of death.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!", she squeezed me

"No prob...I've heard how great you are when it comes to parties", I pulled her off

"So...when are we going on a fucking mission again?", she put on her black suit

"Well, I haven't thought about it but I promise it will be very soon", I smiled as she took the suit off

"Okay! See ya!", she said as she left singing a song about how fucking awesome it was being a spy

"Mission?", Fluttershy asked

"Yes, Pinkie and I are spies", I said proudly.

"S-Spies? Isn't it a dangerous job?", Fluttershy seemed awfully nervous at the mention of that word

"It is but it has its moments", I replied, "So, where were we?"

"Y-You were asking if there was something you could do for me?"

"Oh right, so is there any?"

"Well, there is one thing..."

"Go on"

"An Ursa Minor had strayed away from its home and it can't find its way back"

"And it must be returned soon or else its mother will be on a rampage?", she nodded, "Well, I'll take it. Come on, show me where that Minor is"

I followed the pegasus into the woods until we saw the Ursa Minor who was sleeping peacefully.

"I'll try to levitate it away while it's sleeping", I said as I began to lift the giant creature up.

"P-Please don't hurt it", Fluttershy pleaded

"I'll try", I replied before I flew with it. Since it was a rather big creature, I had to use more magic to levitate it.

Fluttershy galloped ahead of us where she would direct me to the Minor's home. By now, I was completely exhausted at the effort. Heck, if Fluttershy wasn't there, I would've made a burger out of the Minor.

Finally, the yellow pegasus said the two words I wanted to hear the most. "We're here", she said as she directed me to a cave.

I placed the sleeping Ursa Minor as gently as I could before I slumped on the ground, breathing heavily.

"I...I must...admit...that...that is one heavy...Minor", I panted.

"L-Let's return quickly or else its mother might see us", she shook me

"Okay, but first...let me rest", I inhaled loudly to express my exhaustion. Apparently, that was not the best idea.

"O-Oh no!", Fluttershy squeaked as an Ursa Major made its presence known with a growl.

"Shit", I stared at the giant beast.

"L-L-Let's go!", she kept shaking me

"I'm tired", I replied. Suddenly, I found myself being carried by the pegasus, "Fluttershy, what are you doing?", I asked

"D-Don't worry, I-I can carry you", she said as she flew, holding me with her front hooves.

"The Major's gaining on us", I warned her, "Can't you go faster?"

"I-I'm sorry, I-I can't", she said

"Okay, since you have a way with creatures, I'll link your mind to it", I told her before engulfing her in a red orb.

After a few seconds, the Major returned to its cave.

"So, I take it you succeeded?", I asked Fluttershy as she landed.

"Yes, I told her that we were just helping her son", she replied

"Thanks for carrying me but I think I can manage on my own now", I began to walk which she also did

"Um...can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, why not"

"Remember that manticore you...you..."

"Manticore I killed?"

"Y-Yes...were you really trying to...trying to..."

"Trying to eat it? Nope", I lied. I thought it was best not to let her freak out.

"R-Really?"

"Absolutely", I replied.

As we went back to her house, she began asking me questions about my origin and how I felt when I met Insanity. I only answered her questions because she didn't seem like the type to just blab it to everypony.

Before long, we reached her house.

"Well, it was a pleasure doing a favor for you, Miss Fluttershy", I turned to leave, "I do hope you will be able to come to Canterlot for the celebration tomorrow night"

"I-I'll come. I promise", she smiled as she waved her hoof at me, "Goodbye, Prince Azel"

"Same to you", I waved back before I teleported away. Next stop, Carousel Boutique.

I quickly got my coat out again so as not to be noticed until I reached the store. Rarity was fortunately all alone so I was able to reveal myself without some random pony shouting, "The Prince is here!" And mind you, it has happened before.

"Nice work", yeah, it wasn't the most glorious of introductions but I just wanted to compliment her on the work she did on Applejack's dress.

"Excuse me, darling, do I know you?", she took her glasses off

"I believe you do", I took my coat off

"Oh! Prince Azel!", she exclaimed.

"Shit!", I quickly placed my hoof on her mouth to prevent her from shouting again

"Mmm..hmmph"

"Shh...lower your voice, somepony might know I'm here", I looked around for any signs of movement.

"Prince Azel, what are you doing here? Are you looking for a dress?", she asked me before noticing my coat, "Oh my! Don't tell me you chose this material?"

"Choose what?"

"This is sub-standard leather. Cheap you might say", she threw the coat away in disgust, "Come, I'll make you something much better", she hastily began taking my measurements.

"Rarity, I'm not here for..."

"Hold still, darling", she said as she lifted my hooves up one by one.

"Listen, I just want..."

"Want a new coat? I know", she smiled as she wrote down my measurements, "What color would you like?"

"Color? Orange?", I replied

"Orange? No no, this won't do", she began cutting a piece of cloth before stitching it with a needle, "Just give me a minute. I'm almost done"

"Look! I said I'm not..."

"Here, try it out", she said as she handed me the finished product

"I just..."

"Go on, don't be shy", she pushed me into a closet

"Fine...", I gave in. It was no use trying to divert her when she was doing her job. "How'd I look?", I exited the closet.

"Magnificent! You can have that for free, darling", she said

"Can I talk now?"

"Of course"

"Did you have the "honor" of spending time with Blueblood?", I asked her. I already knew about it but I wanted to see her reaction

It took a few seconds before she was finally able to reply. "Yes", she said in disgust

"So did you enjoy it? What do you think of him?"

"H-His behaviour...um...was...a bit of a surprise", she recalled how badly he treated her.

"Surprise? I do hope it was in a positive way", I pretended to look puzzled

"Y-Yes it was", she faked a smile. She probably did not want to say bad things about Blueblood in front of me because she was afraid I might get angry.

"Dammit!", I stomped the floor

"What's wrong?", she asked

"I thought you were going to say he was a self-centered, arrogant asshole", I feigned a frown of disappointment

"But he was exactly that!", she seemed a bit happier at hearing that

"What did he do?", I asked as I sat near her

She told me everything that he made her do. What Rarity told me made me despise that douche bag fucker even more.

"He really did all that?", I asked her

"Yes, he ruined my night and shattered my dream", a single tear flowed down the side of her face

"Wow, now he's won a lifetime supply of pranks", my mischievous side came into play, "Hey, how about we give him his?"

"I've never thought about that", Rarity looked surprised

"Don't worry, I've got your back", I patted her, "If you're free for the day, we could head over to Canterlot and give that asshole what he deserve", I knew she could not decline that offer.

"Oh...okay", she accepted.

"Let's go", I began my teleportation spell.

The next moment, we were standing before the entrance to the castle.

"Well, that was quick", Rarity commented

"I don't want anypony to see us so I'll turn us undetectable, alright?", I said before both of us disappeared from sight, "Listen to my voice or else we might be lost", I told her as we headed inside.

It was an annoying chore whispering every now and then to Rarity, telling her where I was. But, by some luck, we managed to reach some place near the throne room.

"The coast is clear", I whispered as the spell wore off.

"Hello, Azel and the ungrateful designer", Blueblood's voice could be heard.

"Hey there", I greeted him before noticing his hair had grown back, "When did that grow back?", I asked

"If you think I'm spending three weeks with no mane, then you're absolutely mistaken", he proudly said before he went away, "I'll be back, you peasants", he added

"A wig", Rarity said in disdain

"Come again?", I asked

"He's wearing a wig", she replied

"Oh, well that explains that", I said before an idea came to me. Nope, it was not about Burgers, "I've a plan, I'm pretty sure you'll like it", I grinned

"What plan?" she asked as I took the white shirt I was wearing off.

"Here's a scissor, could you cut that for me?", I materialized a scissor and a safety pin.

"Sure", she began to cut the shirt into a small piece of white cloth.

"Levitate this while I take that cloth", I told her as I gave her the safety pin.

"That wretch is coming back", she told me. Blueblood's hoofsteps could be heard nearby.

"Care to join the others, peasant?", he smirked as he went inside the throne room.

"Follow my lead", I whispered to Rarity as I wrapped the cloth around Blueblood's behind.

"I see what you're doing", Rarity giggled, levitating the pin and securing the cloth in place, giving the illusion of a diaper.

"And here's the grand finale", I snickered as I took his wig off, revealing his bald head.

Roars of laughter could be heard from the throne room.

"What's wrong?", Blueblood asked before I levitated a mirror near him, "Egad! AZZZEELLLLL!", he yelled as he galloped out of the room as fast as he could. To add insult to injury, he tripped and left a wet spot on the carpet.

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!", he screamed as he passed me and Rarity.

"So, how's that for some payback?", I chuckled at Blueblood

"I think we may have overdone it", Rarity smiled at what we done

"Nah", I began to conjuring to some magic for our teleportation back to Ponyville, "Our work here is done. We can get back to Ponyville if you like", I told her

"Okay", she said before we disappeared in a flash of light

The next second, we were back in the Carousel Boutique. "Blueblood probably won't talk to anypony for some time", I told Rarity, "That is, if he's got some dignity left"

"Thank you for that", she gave me a warm smile

"No problem-o, you got mistreated by royalty, it's only fair that you got one back", I said before I turned to the exit, "Wait! I almost forgot", I suddenly realized something.

"What is it, Azel dear?", she asked, putting her glasses on.

"Could you make a suit for me to wear tomorrow night, pretty please?", I gave her a wide smile

"Why not? I would be a great honor designing a suit for the Prince of Equestria", she looked excited.

"Hey, don't go full Pinkie", I joked

"Sure, darling", she giggled, "So, what color would you like?"

"Purple suit, white shirt with a green tie", I remembered the suit Nessaj wore while he was Insanity.

"Hmmm...that's a strange color combination but it just might work", she grabbed my measurements and began to work, "You can pick up anytime tomorrow", she added

"Thanks", I gave her a hug, making her blush, "I'll see you tomorrow then", I left her.

As I left the boutique, I put on my coat again as I decided to stroll around a little bit.

A few minutes later, I made my way to the Golden Oak Library where I could see Rainbow Dash fly in the next moment.

"R-Really?", I could hear Applejack's voice from behind the door.

"Yeah, Princess Luna told me heheh", Rainbow Dash smirked.

"Dash! Remember what I said?", I shouted from the outside.

"Uh-oh!", I saw her blush as I entered the library

"Hey AJ, good to see you", I said

"Y-Yes, Azel. It's nice to see you too", she was still blushing after hearing what Rainbow Dash said.

"That was just a dream. Don't give a shit about it", I smiled before noticing Twilight was absent, "Spike, where's Twilight?", I asked the dragon

"She hasn't come back after she left for Canterlot", Spike replied

"Damn! I forgot...they must be waiting for me", I rushed out of the library

"Rainbow Dash, what did Azel tell ya anyway?", Applejack asked the pegasus

"N-Nothing important!", Rainbow Dash stammered

I chuckled before starting my teleportation spell again. It was really becoming exhausting teleporting here and there so many times. A split-second later, I was back in Canterlot

"I'm back...again", I announced my arrival.

"Where've you been?", Celestia asked

"Just chillin'", I could see that they were all still smiling. I assumed that it was because of what had happened to Blueblood.

"Lover-colt", I heard Shining say

"Luna!", I yelled in annoyance at my sister

"Sorry...slipped out", she giggled

"Awww...is that how you really felt about Twilight's friend?", Cadance teased me

"No! Dammit!", I blushed. At that moment, I really wished there was a spell that could shut them all up without killing them.

"Then why did you dream of that kiss?", Celestia asked with a smile

"I have no idea! Absolutely none!", I tried to get away from all the teasing.

"Wait till the others hear about this", even Twilight took their side.

"Thanks", I sarcastically said as everypony laughed

"Anyway, let's be serious now", Celestia wiped a tear, "Because tomorrow night is your big night, you will not be allowed to be in the castle until the sun sets"

"Finally, change of subject", I heaved a sigh of relief, "Okay, no problem, I'll just read some Daring Do in the meanwhile"

"With Applejack?", Twilight asked

"Nope, with Rainbow Dash"

"So, your real marefriend's Rainbow Dash?", Luna giggled

"Haha hardy har har", I left everypony before I muttered something under my breath, "Fuck you all", I headed for my room

I tucked myself in bed despite the fact that sun was still up. I decided to re-read "The Fundamentals" to while away the time.

After two hours, Celestia was the first to check up on me.

"Are you here to seal the deal?", I glared at her

"Aww...come on, we were just teasing you", she placed a wing over me before giving me a kiss on the side of my face, "We're just happy that you're back with us"

"You always say that to make me better", I smiled, "Anyway, do you guys really think me and Applejack are...?"

"No no...that was just a joke. You of all ponies should've known that", she nuzzled me

"Whew! That's a relief. But it's really going to be awkward when she comes to the party tomorrow night", I said.

"Don't worry about that", she got off the bed, "And don't mind when the others tease you. Just remember we all love you no matter what"

"Thanks", I replied as I continued reading the book. Tomorrow was going to be awesome.

**A/N : Thanks for reading this chapter. The next one's coming soon so please follow the story and leave a review if you like. **

**Spoiler : Cyling (Cyborg Changelings) appear**


	12. Chapter 12 : Bane Days

**Chapter 12 : Bane Days**

**A/N : A huge and I mean huge thank you to all who reviewed and took the time to read. Please, do enjoy this one too.**

I slept an hour longer than usual due to the things I did the previous day. I groggily made my way to the kitchen. I was too tired to do the normal exercises so I decided to skip it today.

"'Sup", I greeted Celestia who had just finished her cup.

"'Sup", she replied with the best smug face she could make. I burst into a fit of laughter at her reply, "What?", she gave me a smile

"That was rich!", I continued laughing

"You know, if you keep laughing like that for three years at a cup of coffee, you can actually heat it", she pointed to a cup on the table.

"Sorry", I picked the cup and drank from it.

"So, I'm guessing you'll be spending the whole day in Ponyville?", she asked me

"Probably. I'm not sure if I'm ready to visit other places", I finished my cup before I transformed into a pegasus, "I'm leaving"

"Aren't you forgetting something?", she pulled me into a hug, "Please, do be careful. If we lost you again, I can't even imag..."

"You won't lose me, I promise", I smiled as I left.

I would have used my magic to fly faster but I knew that I needed some recharging. I slowly made my way to Ponyville but then I saw a streak of black on the ground.

"Bane?", I thought as I followed the streak from the sky

"When is this going to end?", I asked myself after I had followed the streak all the way to the border of the Crystal Empire where I met Sunset Shimmer.

I flew low as I noticed the streak had disappeared. "Where the fuck is it?", I looked around for any sign of either Bane or his black streak.

"Prince Azel?", Sunset's voice greeted me.

"Hey, I remember you, you're Sunset Shimmer, right?", I asked

"Yep, what brings you to these parts?", she asked me back

"I was following a black streak on the ground", I replied as I looked around again

"I don't see any black streaks"

"It must've disappeared", I turned to face her, "Don't worry about it"

"Why should I worry about it?", she looked curious

"Just forget about it", I gave her a wide smile, "Anyway, tonight, at Canterlot, my sisters and my friends are preparing a party to celebrate my return. You're welcome to join us if you like"

"Thanks but see, I have this problem with Princess Celestia", she retreated

"Don't worry about that", I assured her

"Oh and I have something important to do so I'm sorry but I have to decline", she turned to leave, "Thanks for asking anyway"

"Goodbye", I waved at her before I made my way back

As I flew over Everfree forest, I noticed a manticore. Wasting no time, I dive-bombed right at it, knocking it down. It roared at me before it began its own charge.

With a simple jab, my hoof pierced through its throat, instantly killing it. A sadistic smile came on my face as I prepared the spell to turn it into a Nugget.

"No, Azel you dumbass. No Nuggets!", My conscience screamed at me.

"Fuck!", I yelled as I turned the manticore into a burger instead. To my surprise, it tasted great, almost as great as Nuggets. After an hour of savoring each bite, I was done.

Finishing my breakfast, I cleaned myself up before I headed back to Ponyville.

As I reached my destination, I decided to check up on my suit first at Rarity's store.

"Hey! Rarity!", I called the white unicorn.

"Oh! Prince Azel, you've come right on time", she handed me a check, "I've just finished the suit, and you can try it if you like"

"That's not a bad idea", I took the suit she was levitating.

In a few seconds, I came out wearing the purple suit she had made, "How'd I look?", I asked

"Simply stunning!", she exclaimed

"Really? Guess we have the same opinion", I smiled

"Where did you get the idea for that color combination?", she asked

"It's a secret", I whispered as I kept the suit in a parcel, "Wait, I can't take this to Canterlot"

"Well, you could send it to Pinkie, she's heading over to Canterlot"

"Awesome!", I turned to leave, "Thanks, I'll pay you later"

"You're welcome" she replied

As I stepped a hoof outside the store, Pinkie tackled me once again.

"Pinkie! Just the pony I wanted to see", I slowly got up

"I was just on my way to fucking Canterlot", she smiled

"Could you put this in my room, please?", I asked

"Of course! What the fuck is in it?", she looked curious

"Something I'm gonna wear tonight", I gave her the parcel "Don't show it to anypony, alright?"

"Oki doki fucking loki!", she said as she took the parcel and went on her way

"Bye!", I waved goodbye before I made my way over to the Golden Oak Library.

The rest of Twilight's friends were present so I wanted to drop by as soon as possible.

"Knock! Knock! You all there? here? Whatever?", I opened the door.

"Oh, Prince Azel, you're a tad bit late", Spike greeted me

"Where're the others? I thought they were here", I looked around for any signs of Twilight and the others

"They had just left to investigate something strange in the Everfree Forest", he shuddered at the name

"Crap!", I remembered my "Breakfast".

"What's the matter?", Spike asked

"Nothing", I said before I flew out, "I'll see you later"

"Goodbye!", he waved at me as I flew out of the Library.

In a few minutes, I reached the Everfree Forest and as Spike had said, Twilight and her friends were already there.

"I don't believe my eyes!", I could hear Twilight gasp

"I've never seen something so...so...I can't even describe it", Rainbow Dash said. Apparently they must have seen the remains of the manticore that I had eaten.

"I-I feel sorry for it!", Fluttershy said timidly

"I wonder who did this", Applejack touched the body lying on the ground.

I could no longer hide. I needed to tell them what had happened so I galloped behind me.

"I...I did that", they turned towards me

"Prince Azel!? Yeh did this?", Applejack shouted in disbelief

"I'm sorry to say this but yeah", I lowered my head

"Y-You eat metal?", Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow

"Yes, I eat meta...say what?", I asked in surprise at Rainbow Dash's question

"D-Did you bite this...thing?", Fluttershy asked

"What thing?", I moved closer to get a better look.

The thing was a silver robotic changeling which had a huge bite mark around the abdomen.

"I have no idea what this is. Looks like an advanced machine or something", Twilight examined it.

"A Cyborg Changeling?", Rainbow Dash asked

"W-What's a cyborg?", Fluttershy stared at the fallen machine

"Cybernetic Organism", Dash and I replied at the same time. After reading Daring Do and the Threat from the Future, we were quiet familiar with the word "cyborg" despite the fact that we had never actually seen one until now.

"Whatever it is, looks like something in these woods took it down", Applejack said

"Let's take it back with us", Twilight suggested

"What?", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"I-It may be dangerous", Fluttershy was still shocked by the cyborg's strange appearance.

"This may be the discovery of the decade", Twilight began to levitate the cyborg

"Just keep it where it is", Applejack tried to talk sense into Twilight

"It's not functional so there's no harm in bringing it back with us", I agreed with Twilight

"Okay, fine but I've got a feelin' this thing might get us into some trouble", Applejack sounded uneasy

"You're just paranoid", Rainbow Dash teased before we made our way back to the library.

It took some time trying to explain to the townsfolk where we got the cyborg from. And it took nearly 10 minutes and 7 different explanations to make them understand that it was a machine. Before long, we were at the library doing our own stuff.

Twilight was in her room trying to reverse-engineer the cyborg while Fluttershy had gone back to her own home to feed the animals. Applejack read a book on farming while Rainbow Dash and I sat idly in a corner reading the Adventures of Daring Do from the first book to the last.

Time flew by rather quickly and when it was time for me to return to Canterlot, the sun had almost set.

At the exact moment I set a hoof on Canterlot, the sun went down. Without further hesitation, I immediately made a beeline for my room.

"So, how was your day?", Celestia asked me as I passed her

"It was great. Did Twilight tell you about the strange thing we found in the forest?", I wanted to know if she had knowledge about the cyborg.

"Yes, she sent a letter to me concerning it not long ago", she replied, "According to her, there has never been a thing like it before in the history of Equestria so I'll take a look at it sometime"

"Yeah, you definitely should", I agreed before I headed towards my room, "I'm going to get ready for tonight", I told her

"Okay, we'll wait for you", she smiled

As I finished wearing the suit, I looked at my reflection on a mirror. I could not help but notice that except for the horn and red mane, I looked quite a lot like Insanity.

"Nice suit", Nessaj complimented me in my head

"Thanks", I replied, "I think it suits me more than a certain pony", I smirked

"Yeah, just go out and enjoy your night", he said before disappearing

After I double-checked everything, I headed towards the main room where everypony were supposed to have been there. On my way, I could not help but notice the ponies who were staring and pointing at me.

It hurt me a little bit when I made out a few words they muttered. "Traitor...unfit...guilty", the words stabbed me in the heart like a dagger but due to my determination in trying to turn a new leaf, I decided not to incinerate those who had said those words.

The first pony to greet me was Rainbow Dash although all she really wanted to ask me was the whereabouts of Daring Do. "Hiya Azel!", she greeted me.

"Rainbow Dash...what a nice dress you're wearing", I commented on her red dress.

"Thanks although this will be the last time I ever wear a dress", I could see that she wasn't fond of wearing such kind of clothing, "Anyway, have you seen Daring Do yet?"

"Can't say I have", I replied

"Aren't you going to search for her too?"

"Maybe later, but right now, I really need to meet Celestia", I said as I went on my way.

"Pinkie, you really are the fucking best", I thought after seeing the most perfect decorations I had ever seen in my life.

In a few minutes, I reached the throne room where everypony I knew were present.

"Ah! Here comes the stallion of the night", Shining gave me a welcome

"Wow, nice suit you have there", Cadance complimented me

"Thanks, one of Twilight's friends made it for me", I proudly said

"Now that you're finally here, we can start", Celestia said before she turned to the crowd, "Attention, everypony please", Everypony stared at their ruler, "Before we proceed with the party, let me formally introduce the reason why we are all gathered here..."

"This is it", I gulped as Luna gave me a nod of confidence. Somehow that made me less nervous

"...he is your Prince who, after years of exile has finally returned with a new heart", Celestia proudly continued, "Please give a hearty welcome to my little brother, Azel!"

I stepped into view and saw the crowd staring at me with either open mouths or wide eyes.

"Hey...how're you doing?", I quipped out of nervousness. To my surprise, that did nothing to make look pleased or happy.

"Ahem!", Celestia glared at the crowd before they finally cheered reluctantly.

"Well...thanks for your welcome...I guess", I smiled sheepishly before I turned towards Shining and Cadance, "Damn, did I fuck up or what?"

"No no, you did good", Shining smiled

"Yes, you were great!", Cadance agreed

"Nice to hear that", I smiled as I headed to the back. I could see that they were all disappointed at the reception I got but since this was supposed to my big day, I decided to enjoy it as much as I could.

I made my way to the extension in the garden made by Celestia where they were having a party. Twilight and her friends were all present and they looked like they were a bit annoyed by the crowd's reaction.

"I still can't believe how poorly they received him", Rarity said in disgust.

"He probably missed 'em and they acted like they didn't want 'im", Applejack added

"Want who?", I butted in.

"Azel!", they all said before embracing me

"So, are you enjoying the party or not?", I asked them, trying to not let them talk about what had happened earlier.

"We sure are", Rainbow Dash lifted a glass of fruit juice

"Don't worry about us. We're the ones who should be worrying about you not enjoying the party", Twilight looked serious

"Why would you worry about me?", I asked

"W-Well, the other ponies..they...they..", Fluttershy hesitated

"They were a bunch of meanies!", Pinkie pouted

"And dumb", Spike growled

"Yup, they didn't give yeh the proper welcome you deserved", Applejack glared at some staring ponies who quickly relented.

"After all you've been through, you more than deserve a warm welcome", Rarity said

"Thanks but I really don't mind it though", I smiled as I levitated a glass of cider near me. The truth was I really did mind it. I needed to regain the trust of everypony again. It was not that I really needed it; it's just that I wanted my family and friends to be happy.

"Why so serious?", I grinned before realizing how much I sounded like Insanity, "Enjoy the party!", I shouted.

Almost on cue, music began to play and everypony began to dance.

I slowly made my way towards the buffet where I enjoyed my glass and the cake nearby. A smile came on my face as I saw my friends enjoying themselves. Taking another sip, I thought about the scene in front of me

If somepony told me a week ago that Celestia and Luna were going to organize a party for me and that I would enjoy myself, I would dismiss them as having a loose nut before turning them into a Nugget. But now, things had changed, hopefully for the better.

"Hey, are you going to join in on the fun or not?", Shining gave me nudge

"Thanks but no thanks", I placed my glass on the table, "You know how lousy I am when it comes to dancing"

"No shame in learning", Cadance pulled me

"Sis, are you just going to let them make me dance?", I asked my alicorn sister who had just arrived

"Absolutely not!", she grabbed my hoof

"That's a relief", I said before turning to Shining and Cadance, "Sorry, there's no dancing from me tonight"

"I'll be the one helping you dance", Luna smiled mischievously

"Ha! In your faces...wait! What!?", I yelled as Luna pulled me right in the middle of the crowd.

"Little brother, why are you so nervous?", she giggled as she danced near me while I stood still

"I can't dance!", I retorted. To make things worse, somepony shone a spotlight on me. Everypony else stopped whatever they were doing and stared at me.

"Go on!", I could see Shining and Cadance egging me on, much like the time I got my cutie mark.

"...alright", I mumbled as I imitated Pinkie's weird dance moves from before. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, the crowd cheered and applauded me like heck.

"Keep going! They love it!", Luna shouted from amidst the noise.

"Whoa! They love me...they really love me!", I said to myself as I decided to try a new-style.

"I wanna try too!", Pinkie bounced before she made her way next to me. A second later, she began emulating everything I did.

A few moments later, everypony got in with the act and danced the strangest equine dance ever. A minute later, I became a bit too tired to continue so I signaled for the blue maned unicorn DJ to stop.

As soon as the music stopped, everypony let out a loud "Whooo!" before applauding me again.

"Who knew that was the best way to get them to like you", Cadance said

"Yeah...I kinda had to embarrass myself in the process heheh", I chuckled at my actions

"It makes us so happy seeing you enjoying yourself", Celestia made her presence known with a hug

"And it makes me happy seeing you all smile", I said, hugging her back

"Aww...come here!", Luna joined in the hug before Shining and Cadance followed suit.

"I have to admit, I've never thought I'd live to see this day", tears formed at the corner of my eyes, "I love you guys so much"

"We know", Celestia said as they broke the embrace

"Cake for everypony!", Luna shouted as she teleported towards the huge cake made for me.

"Sister! It's not enough for everypony!", Celestia chased her

"Not enough for her", I corrected Celestia's words

"Come on, buddy, let's cut your cake", Shining and Cadance placed a hoof each around me.

"Let's go then", I happily said

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_Back at Ponyville, in the basement of the Golden Oak Library._

"Looks like the scout was mangled by a wild beast heheh", Bane laughed maniacally as he "stared" at the half-eaten Cyling

"Tassaruss has failed us before, you must not", A robotic voice warned the Nightmare entity

"Of course hehehaheha...with your force, we will be able to take over Equestria easily", Bane told the voice

"What about the Beast?"

"The little stallion unicorn? Don't worry; I've a plan to keep him busy while we prepare for the invasion"

"What plan are you talking about?"

"This plan hehehah", Bane conjured an image of Sunset Shimmer

"What about the three sirens then? If the Beast manages to figure out his connection to them, he'll be able to gather enough power to help the Elements of Harmony defeat us"

"Don't fret. Even if he does meet them, allying himself with them would be the last thing he does"

"It seems you have all the pieces, don't blow this up", with that, the voice faded

"Sure...hehehahahahha...The Grip of the Fiend will get you, Azel!", Bane laughed before slashing a picture of Azel in half.

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

Without warning, I shuddered which made Celestia and Luna look at me with concern

"What's wrong?", Celestia asked as she stuffed a huge piece of cake down

"I dunno. It felt like somepony did something bad to me", I ate a piece

"It's probably nothing serious", Shining assured me

"Enjoy the night", Cadance said

"We're all here so there's nothing to worry about", Luna added

"I guess you're all right", I smiled as I continued to eat the cake. I probably had nothing to worry about right now. Insanity's gone. Hatred's gone. Bane won't show his face soon and I've just been accepted by the other ponies.

Things were certainly looking brighter for the Beast of Tartarus more than ever.

**A/N : And that is it for the final chapter to take place in Equestria. Like I said before, the next one will cover Equestria Girls. See ya'll later.**

**Spoiler : There're no spoilers, I've already mentioned it in the Author's Note**


	13. Chapter 13 : Vengeance Sevenfold

**Chapter 13 : Vengeance Sevenfold**

**A/N : A huge shout-out to all who read the previous 12 chapters. This chapter will start from the Princess Summit**

The party my sisters made for me two days ago was the best time I had in a long while. Except for the short feeling of uneasiness, it went smoother than expected. However, that day was the only day of rest I had.

The next morning, Twilight sent a letter to Celestia saying that somepony had stolen the Cyborg Changeling (or Cyling for short).

Celestia and I went to investigate the crime scene. In the basement, I saw the black streak left by Bane and a torn picture of me.

Judging from the absence of scratches and other marks to indicate that the thief had stolen it by phasing through the walls, Twilight deduced that the Cyling was teleported out of the basement.

At my request, Celestia sent royal guards all over Equestria to search for the stolen machine. However, in the evening when they returned, the guards reported that nopony had found the Cyling.

Celestia was about to redo the search but I told her to put it aside so she could concentrate on the Princess Summit which was taking place the next day. She agreed and told me that the search would continue after the Summit was done.

She also presented me the BlackWhiteGreyRedBlue Diamond which Bubble Butt and Cotton Roll found a few days before.

Since Cadance and Shining were present at the search, I suggested that I would spend the night at their kingdom, the Crystal Empire.

Celestia initially refused to let me go but I assured her that my two friends would always keep an eye on me.

On our way to the Crystal Empire, the three of us talked about the times we had spent together and how awesome it was to hang out again.

Due to my magic not being fully recharged, I went to bed early that night. It took some time trying to persuade the guards not to accompany me to my bedroom but in the end I was finally able to get some shut eye.

"Azel!", Darchrow's voice echoed in my head

"What the heck?! What'd you want?", I yelled, annoyed at being awaken

"You're power is decreasing. I'm really disappointed in you", I could feel the anger in his voice

"Disappointed? News flash! I never asked for you to stick your fucking horn in my life and nor did I ask for you to bring me back to life", I shouted before I saw two guards stare at me from behind a door

"What the fuck are you looking at?", I growled before they left me quickly

The next second, I could feel magic coursing through me.

"There, that did it", Darchrow said

"What just happened?", I calmed down a bit

"Didn't you remember what I said a few days ago? Your hatred fuels you. Because of what had happened in the last two days, your magical powers had declined. I only came here to remind you of what I told you"

"Yeah...yeah...goodbye", I said before I drifted back to sleep.

In a few minutes, I dreamt about kicking Bane's behind so much that he promised never to return to Equestria.

I was awakened for the second time in the night by a fluid splashing on the floor.

I opened my eyes and looked at the direction from where the sound came. I could see the familiar black fluid of Bane on the floor.

Without hesitation, I followed the trail, ignoring the guards who were wondering what I was doing as they cleaned the trail. After a minute of following, the black streaks stopped in a chamber where a large mirror was present.

Strangely enough, the trail stopped right in front of the mirror.

I gazed at the mirror before being sucked in by a powerful force.

"WHAT THE FUUUUUUU...!", I screamed as I heard Bane's laughter playing over and over in my mind as I fell into a warp-hole.

I was spat out by the portal as quickly as I was sucked in. Due to the sudden displacement, I felt nauseous and soon, I found myself throwing up behind a small bush.

After I felt better, I checked myself to see that I was back to my human form. I stared at the place from where I was chucked out and realized that it was a statue of some sort. I touched it and to my shock, my hand passed through it.

By some luck, I had managed to be teleported some distance away from the Crystal Empire.

I tried to get back but something shut the portal off. "Shit", I cursed as I tried to re-enter the portal. I tried to turn myself back to my normal self but I found out I couldn't.

Apparently, that small trip through the portal had drained all my magic. Either that or I was permanently transformed into a human, a being that does not have magic.

I looked around and saw a huge building behind me. It was already night time, so this building was already closed.

"Hey, buddy!", I could hear a male voice call out to me.

I turned to face the speaker. "School's not open for 36 hours", a human with black hair wearing a black shirt and blue jeans told me.

"I..I knew that!", I waved at him as he moved closer.

"Were you trying to steal something?", he talked to me like I was a petty criminal

"Steal something? Hell no!", I hastily declined. I could see that he was about the same age as Twilight would be.

"Good. Cause if you were trying to steal something from our school, I don't know what I'd do to you", he glared at me before he turned a full 180, "So, are you a new student or what?"

"New student?", I thought. So, this building was a school. "Yeah, I'm a new student...I'm from ummm...Marmarus High", I lied

"Great! I'll meet you the day after tomorrow", he shook my hand, "The name's Chris, short for Christopher"

"I'm Azel", I replied, "Short for...Just Azel"

"Okay, goodbye then", Chris left me alone again

Now that not a soul was in sight, I decided to process the situation. Since there was a human here, that probably meant I was not in Equestria anymore. And right now, my only way of getting back was jammed so I was stuck in this world. There were also some small pieces of green paper in my pockets which I assumed to be this world's currency.

Since it was late, I decided to find a place to sleep so I headed towards another building whose lights were still on.

As I approached the entrance, I could hear shouting and yelling from inside. Even from the outside, I knew that there were some...things having arguments.

I opened the door and to my surprise, saw that the voices belonged to humans. So, my hunch was correct. I was in the human world.

After changing to my human form so many times, I was able to easily do what they could do. The building seemed to be some sort of restaurant but there was this strange green mist covering the place.

Ignoring the angry voices, I decided to search for a place to sit.

I saw a vacant seat near three hooded humans. I quickly made my way over before seeing that they were all females and they were humming some tune.

"Excuse me", I said, making them stop immediately.

"What is it!?", one of them asked me, "Why did you disturb us?"

"I was gonna ask if I could sit here. The others seem to be a bit hostile", I replied

"Well, the seat's not ours so you can just sit if you want", one of them took her hood off, revealing her puffy bright orange hair

"I'm still asking", I said

"Fine...you can sit with Sonata" the other one said

"Thanks", I sat down next to the one called Sonata who seemed all too pleased to have someone sit near her

"Don't mind us, we're just having some fast food", Sonata said

"Fast food?", I raised an eyebrow as I saw that there was no food near them. I wanted to ask some more but I decided not to.

"Sonata, just keep quiet", the first one said as she took her hood off, revealing her purple hair.

"Do you have any idea why these...people are arguing?", I asked them

"Yes, you see we have these pendants and we...", Sonata was cut short by a hand to her mouth

"Nope, we have no idea", the orange haired one replied

"Okay then", I placed my head on the table as I felt a bit tired.

"Are you okay?", Sonata asked me with a look of curiosity rather than concern.

"I'd be lying if I said yes. I'm just a little tired", I smiled at her before I turned to the orange haired-one, "So, care to tell me your names?"

"I'm Adagio Dazzle", she replied

"Aria Blaze", the purple haired girl did not even care to look at me

"Azel", I held my hand out for a handshake which Sonata accepted

"I'm Sonata Dusk. Nice to meet you", she gave me a wide smile

"You too", I said before I suddenly felt rejuvenated, "Whoa, what the heck?", I sat up straight.

"What's wrong?", Adagio asked

"I just felt this...energy pulse through me. I can't explain it", I replied. I had never felt this energetic since I woke up in the hospital.

"You're not from Equestria, are you?", Adagio looked at me, straight in the eye

"What?", I wanted to ask her how she guessed that but I decided that if they knew about Equestria, I could probably tell them what I really was", "Yeah, I'm from Equestria"

"Figures. You have some vengeance magic in you", Aria said

"Vengeance magic?", I asked

"Yep, you get more power when you're near hatred or if you feel hate", Sonata explained

"Well, that explains that", I turned behind me to see the other patrons still arguing with each other, "So, are ya'll from Equestria too?"

"Used to be", Adagio replied, "We live here now"

"We were banished here by Star...", Sonata was stopped again

"Let's just say that we got here against our will" Aria said

"Ditto here", I drank a glass of water, "It was by pure accident that I arrived here"

"So, how are you going to get back?", Adagio asked. They all looked eager to hear my reply

"I have no idea", I replied, "It seems like I'm stuck here for some time"

"Welcome to our world", Adagio groaned

"Anyway, I'm hungry", I said, "What'd you guys want? It's on me", I offered as I took out some money

"I don't want anything", Aria replied

"Me neither", Adagio said

"Tacos!", Sonata exclaimed, taking me by surprise

"O-Okay...", I trailed off before I shouted for the waiter, "We'll have the tacos please!"

"Where are you going stay for the night?", Adagio asked

"That's a good question", I replied, thinking about the places where I could spend the night

"Seems like we've a lot in common more than we thought", Adagio smirked

"Yeah, boggles the mind", I grinned as the tacos arrived

Sonata did not even say anything; she instantly grabbed a taco and ate it happily. Aria facepalmed at her friend's silly behavior.

"So, you're all homeless too?", I asked between bites

"Yep", Adagio replied while Aria nodded, "But it doesn't affect us"

"Good to hear that", I gave them a thumbs up as I continued to eat.

I spent the rest of the night talking with the three girls who did not seemed bothered by the lack of sleep they had. The next morning, I parted ways with the trio as I headed back to the school.

But soon, I realized that the school was not going to be opened for another 24 hours so I decided to spend the whole day at a local watering hole where I had twelve altercations and five fights.

Thankfully, despite losing my magic, I still had not lost my skills when it came to fisticuffs so I was able to dispose of my adversaries rather quickly...actually, they were all drunken fucktards and because of that they knocked themselves out almost as soon as they tried to hit me.

And on the plus side, I won the respect of the owner of the bar who gave me free drinks and food as well as shelter for the whole day and night.

The next morning, I thanked the owner for letting me stay before I made my way to the school.

Canterlot High School was the name of the institution and as Chris had told me, the school opened at exactly eight in the morning.

I was about to enter the school when I saw something shiny fly out from behind the statue where the portal to Equestria was situated.

As I tried to make out what the fuck had happened, a girl with pink hair came along and grabbed the shiny thing which was in fact, a crown of some sort.

"Excuse me, is this yours?", she asked as she showed the crown to me

"Nope", I replied before heading towards the entrance.

"Hey, I see you managed to arrive at the right time", Chris' voice stopped me

"Oh, it's you", I ignored him as I entered the school

"How would you like it if I introduced you to the other students?", he offered.

"Hell no!", I brushed him off, "Thanks for the offer anyway"

"You're welcome?", Chris stood awkwardly before going his own way

I decided to search for the ruler or master of this school first. On my way, I passed by some humans who greatly resembled Twilight's friends from Equestria.

As I walked down the hall, I could not help but notice some picture frames behind a display window. There was a signboard which said that the people who were shown in the frames were the past "Princess of the Fall Formal" or whatever the fuck that was.

I did not bother to check them all out as getting home was my main priority.

In a matter of seconds, I found myself standing in front of an office of sorts.

"Principal Celestia?", I thought as I saw the name on the door, "That explains that. Must be the human counterpart of my sister. Wonder if I have a human counterpart here too?"

"Excuse me? Do you want something?", my big sister's voice snapped me back to reality

"Luna?!", I stared in shock at the older female standing in front of me

"Yes, that's me. Do you want something? Who are you?", she asked me

"Ah...yes...I'm Azel, the new student from Marmarus High", I shook her hand which felt pretty weird.

"Oh, you must be the one my nephew told me about", her face lit up.

"Come again?", I asked. I must have probably misheard what she said. There was no way Celestia could have a son.

"My nephew, Christopher told me about you", she seemed suspicious about my erratic behavior.

"Celestia has a son?!", I stood wide-mouthed.

"Yes, even if he's adopted, she loves him like her own child", she growled.

"Sorry for that. It was totally uncalled for", I apologized.

"Okay, but do be careful about bringing out somebody's personal life", she gave me a friendly warning before she left

I was more than shocked to hear that Celestia had a son here. I wondered if he was my counterpart but I shot down the idea seeing how different we were from each other. I figured talking to Principal Celestia about how I would be able to get back to Equestria was out of the question, so I decided to head over to the library to brush up on my knowledge of how things were handled here.

After spending two hours in the library, I headed outside, towards the place where I first arrived.

I was about to open the door when I saw two humans, a male and a female bump into each other. "Twilight?", I thought as I moved towards the two.

"Whoa. You okay?", the boy with the spiky blue hair asked as he helped the girl up. The girl nodded before watching the boy walk away.

To my surprise, the little canine that was accompanying the girl suddenly talked. "I don't think this is a castle", the dog said.

"What the actual fu...I mean heck!?", I exclaimed, trying not to use profanity near the students.

The girl turned towards me with a surprised look on her face while the dog raised an eyebrow. "When the fuck did dogs learn how to do that?", I thought as I stared at the purple dog.

"Excuse me?", the girl asked

"Your dog, he just fu...I mean freakin' talked", I didn't take my eyes off of the dog for quite some time.

"Hi, I'm Spike!", the dog smiled.

"Spike!? Please tell me you didn't follow me here", I covered my face with my hands

"Azel?", the girl squealed before hugging me.

"I was afraid of this", I said, separating myself from the two, "Why the heck did you follow me here?"

"Well, my big brother and Cadance said you were missing and that the guards last saw you going through a mirror", Twilight replied, "They tried to open the portal again but it was jammed. However, we managed to open it again this morning", she continued, "Princess Celestia was absolutely worried about you being in a strange world. She would have come here herself had she not realized the imbalance she might create"

"Damn, made them worried again", I snapped my fingers

"And also, somepony named Sunset Shimmer stole Twilight's crown last night and she escaped to this world with the crown", Spike added

"Sunset Shimmer? You mean Celestia's old student?", I asked

"The same one. Princess Celestia told us that she's cruel and dishonest so it might be a bit hard trying to negotiate with her", Twilight replied

"Really? I've met her before and she seemed okay to me", I was starting to have doubts about Sunset's mentality. She was pretty apologetic and regretful when we first met.

"Anyway, we must find the crown and return to Equestria or else something horrible might happen", she tugged me but I wasn't budging even a little bit.

"So, the portal's still open, is it?", I asked

"Yep, we just passed through it a few minutes ago", Spike replied

"Then all we have to do is find the crown and make a break for it, right?", I grinned.

"That's the plan", Twilight crossed her arms.

"Crap", I mumbled

"What is it?", Twilight asked

"I think I saw the crown a few hours ago. A girl with pink hair who kinda looked like Fluttershy found it", I replied

"Well, let's search for this girl then", Spike said as we began to scour the school for any signs of the crown.

I would have told them about how I believed us ponies might have our counterparts here but I decided to shut my yap until I was sure that my theory was right.

"One question...how come you're not having any trouble with your new body?", Spike asked

"Spike, you silly little doge pup. I've been transforming into a human way before you were hatched", I patted him

"It's true. The first time we met after his return, he was in his human form", Twilight said before she heard some voices from around the corner.

"Oh, I'm really sorry. I-I just found it, and-and I thought I should give it to her. I didn't know you had dropped it", I recognized the pink haired girl's voice

"Well, I did!", yep, that definitely was Sunset Shimmer although she sounded a bit less submissive than before, "And I was about to get it before you swooped in and ruined everything! You shouldn't pick up things that don't belong to you!"

"Ooo...harsh", I whispered to Twilight

"I wish I could just go over there and yell right in her face", Twilight tried to interfere but Spike and I held her back.

"Whoa, let's calm down for a sec. Sheesh!", I grabbed her arm

"It...doesn't belong to you, either", the girl muttered

"Excuse me?!", Sunset yelled

"N-n-nothing...", the girl replied

"That's what I thought", Sunset smirked, "It's as good as mine, and you know it. You really are pathetic. It's no wonder your best friends are all stray animals"

"I can't take it anymore!", Twilight escaped my grasp

"Hey, get back here!", I tried to tell her but she had already made her way towards Sunset Shimmer, "Oh crap", I mumbled as I followed her, "Come on, Spike. We better stop her before she leaps from the frying pan into the fire", I held the dog between my arms

"Frying pan?", Spike looked at me, probably puzzled at the phrase.

"Doesn't matter", I said before we stood some few feet behind the girls.

"You must be new here. I can speak to anyone any way I want", Sunset told Twilight before leaving.

"I'm going to follow her", I told Spike as I place him on the floor.

"Azel! Where're you going?", Twilight called for me but I chose to ignore her.

As I stared at the crimson-haired girl, I could see a black fluid streak behind her which quickly disappeared.

"Bane", I growled as I raced towards Sunset Shimmer

**A/N: And that's the start of the Equestria Girls circle. Thanks for reading. Chris is the protagonist of another fanfic called "The Monster of Canterlot". Go and give it a read, it's an awesome story. Good day/ good night/ good whatever to ya'll.**

**Spoiler : Sorry, aside from Bane's brief appearances, this story will pretty much follow the plot. **


	14. Chapter 14 : Instigator

**Chapter 14 : Instigator**

**A/N : Sorry for the wait. Thanks to everyone who read the previous chapters. Enjoy this one too while I grab a Hamburger.**

"Hey, Sunset!", I grabbed hold of her arm which she quickly brushed off

"Who are you?", she glared at me. Apparently, she did not recognize me.

"I'm Azel, remember me?", I glared back.

"No", she kept on glaring. We glared at each other for a few minutes until two boys came near us, looking confused and trying to figure out what we were doing.

"Uhh...what are you doing?", the slimmer one asked

"Scram", we both said before the two boys left us.

"So, you really don't remember?", I broke the glare as she did hers.

"Look, I have never seen you in my life before so just butt off or we might have a problem", she tried to leave but I grabbed her again

"Bane did this, didn't he?", I could see that the black streaks had completely disappeared

"I don't know anyone named Bane", she escaped my hold before she turned to leave, "And by the way, I'm glad I didn't remember you and your stupid attitude"

"BURN!", I could hear my conscience yell at me

She left me standing like an idiot for a few seconds. Thoughts began to run through my mind. Bane must have brainwashed Sunset Shimmer somehow and had her steal Twilight's crown so he could probably claim the magic Twilight had. But I was not completely sure of my assumption so I decided to meet up with Twilight once again.

I went back to the place where the pink haired girl had the conversation with Sunset but I found out that Twilight had left for Principal Celestia's office.

I made my way towards the office which soon came into view. However, I did not need to enter the office as Twilight had just left the office.

"Hey, Twilight! Spike!", I waved at them

"Oh, hey Azel, so did you manage to talk to Sunset Shimmer?", Twilight asked

"Barely. She did not seem to remember me at all", I replied, "I have a feeling Bane must have something to do with this though I am not sure"

"Bane? You mean the one who stole the Cyling?", Spike looked surprised as he popped his head from Twilight's backpack

"The same one but it's just an assumption. Sunset might also be completely doing this by her own will", I said

"That's too bad. Princess Celestia was really looking forward to her returning to Equestria", Twilight said sadly

"So, I take it you had a talk of your own with Principal Celestia?", I asked

"Yes, did you know she seemed so similar to Princess Celestia?", she asked back

"Yup. I believe everyone here is a counterpart to everypony back home", I told her my theory

"Huh? Is that so? Anyway, Vice Principal Luna had held the crown for safekeeping and if we are suppose to get it back, we have to run for something called "Princess of the Fall Formal"", she finished on an uneasy note.

"Did you know that girl we met before was named Fluttershy?", Spike asked

"That explains that. So, Twilight, are you planning to run for this princess stuff?...ugh!", I asked

"I guess I have to", Twilight lowered her head

The school bell suddenly rang which made me jump a bit.

"What's the matter?", Twilight asked

"I've never been a fan of alarms", I regained my composure, "Looks like it's lunch time", I grinned before I raced towards the cafeteria.

However, to my dismay, there were no burgers, French fries or tacos. I had to settle for some apples and a glass of orange juice.

As I cursed silently, Fluttershy made her way near me.

"E-Excuse me, can I sit here with you?", she asked timidly

"Sure, why not?", I said nervously, wishing that she had not hear what I muttered

"Umm..do you mind if I ask a question?", she asked

"Of course!", I gave her a wide smile

"What were you saying just a few seconds before?", she inquired me

"Rap!", I immediately adlibbed, "I was rapping!", I nervously replied,

"It kinda goes like this", I said before she could speak,

"_Now I gotta go stand in a Chipotle Line _

_Because it's Burrito time_

_I get two and both of them are all mine_

_Wrappers of candy getting thrown around my fresh ride_

_I don't care if you judge me because I_

_Am a guy who don't mess around_

_When it comes to me getting that sweet sugar high_"

"Oh...okay", she smiled before Twilight joined us

"Azel, right where I thought you would be", Twilight said as she sat next to me, holding a tray.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself to you", Fluttershy looked embarrassed, "I'm Fluttershy"

"The name's Azel", I nodded as I began to examine an apple for any defects.

"I know we've just met, but I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something", Twilight turned to Fluttershy

"Of course!", Fluttershy replied

"I've decided to run for Princess of the Fall Formal and...", Twilight was cut off by Fluttershy's gasping.

"Oh! Oh, gosh! Sorry. It's just, oh, running for Fall Formal Princess is a really bad idea", Fluttershy explained

"Why?", Twilight and I asked

"Sunset Shimmer wants to be Fall Formal Princess, and when she wants something, she gets it!", she replied, "She'll make life awful for anyone who stands in her way. Just ask the girl who ran against her for the Princess of the Spring Fling"

"Plan B! Plan B!", I whispered to Twilight who ignored me

"I have to try!", Twilight seemed adamant

"What's Plan B?", Spike asked

"We steal the crown", I whispered to the purple dog

"What? Stealing's not good, not good! It's an awful thing to do", Spike protested, keeping his voice as low as possible so that the other students could not hear him

"But I'm an awful person, am I not?", I grinned which made Spike shudder, "Calm down, doge. Wow much scare so pranked!"

"What's that suppose to mean?", Spike asked

"It's a meme way of saying I was just messing with you", I gave him a sincere smile

"Oh, I don't think you understand. You'd have to convince everyone here to vote for you instead of her; the athletes, the fashionistas, the dramas, the eco-kids, the techies, the rockers...", Fluttershy sounded like she was sure Twilight would not stand a chance

"Why is everypony ...", Twilight quickly corrected herself, "Uh, everybody separated this way?"

"Maybe it was different at your old school, but at C.H.S., everybody sticks to their own kind", Fluttershy replied, "One thing they do have in common is that they know Sunset Shimmer is gonna rule the school until we graduate"

"Not if I can help it!", Twilight said before eating an apple like a pony (Duh!)

"Twilight, I think you eat it like this", I showed her the proper way while chuckling at her

"Oops", she smiled sheepishly, "So, uh, where would I find the head of the party planning committee?"

Fluttershy was kind enough to show us the way to the auditorium where the head of the party planning committee was. Soon, we reached the entrance to the auditorium.

"I'm gonna do some snooping around", I told Twilight and Spike before I parted ways with the two

"Abort Plan B! Abort Plan B!", Spike shouted

"Sure sure, doge", I laughed as I made my way towards the School Soccer Pitch.

"Azel! Wait up!", Chris called me as I was about to exit the school

"Hey, Chris, son of Celestia", I felt a bit uneasy saying that

"How did you know that?", he asked

"Luna told me", I replied as I watched a rainbow haired girl practice, "Who's that? Wait...don't tell me...Rainbow Dash, right?"

"Y-Yeah...you know her?", Chris seemed puzzled by my knowledge

"Just a hunch", I smiled, "So, is it true that each group in this school want nothing to do with the others?"

"Yep", Chris replied dejectedly, "And being the Principal's son doesn't help either. Instead, they all kinda shun me"

"Wow, I can relate to that", I remembered the party I had a few nights ago, "Sometimes you have to do something crazy to be accepted", I said referring to my embarrassing dance at the same party

"You mean like standing up to Sunset Shimmer which your friend with the dog did", Chris said, "She is so going to face the wrath of Sunset"

"How long have you known Sunset?", I asked

"From the moment she set foot in this school", he smirked, "She's always kinda been the unopposed ruler of the school. A few days ago, I thought she had turned over a new leaf but I'm afraid I was wrong"

"Whoa, she's good", I commented on Rainbow Dash's skill in soccer.

"Yeah, and if you're thinking about being a jock you better not get on her bad side", he said before leaving me alone

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!", I called out to the girl who almost lost control of the ball she was balancing on her head.

"What'd you want...", she inspected my clothes from a distance, "..Rocker?", she said in disgust

"Rocker? Nah, I'm more of an athletic-fashionista-drama-echo-techie-rocker", I smiled

"Whatever", she shrugged before shooting the ball straight towards the goal.

"I have to admit, you have one heck of shot", she smiled at the comment

"Thanks", she said before she retrieved the ball. I had learned a few things about soccer from the research I did in the morning.

"Do you mind if we had a little one-one game?", I asked as I took my black shirt off.

"I never back down from a challenge", she grinned

"Me neither", I said as I stood in front of the goal, "Let's see how many you can get in from ten penalty shots"

"Probably ten", she smirked as she placed the ball on the ground before backing up, "You ready?"

"Sure am", I grinned before the ball flew right to my left at a speed too much for me to react to.

"One down, nine to go", she said as I passed her the ball

"Go!", I yelled as she made another shot. This time, I stopped it with no problem at all.

"What the...?", she looked surprised

"Don't take me too lightly, Rainbow Dash", I grinned as she prepared to take another shot.

After seven shots, the score was a tie. I had saved five shots and she scored five.

"You're really awesome at goal-keeping", she said as she drank from a bottle of water

"You're not bad yourself", I wiped the sweat off my brow

"I'm Rainbow Dash", she extended her hand for a handshake

"Azel", I returned the handshake

"Hey Azel, would you like to be the goal-keeper for my team?", she asked

"Sure, why not?", I asked as I stood up, "I'll see you later", I said before I went back inside.

I could have sworn I heard Spike's bark nearby so I went towards the source which led me to a dark hallway.

"...You want to be a princess here? Please. You don't know the first thing about fitting in", I heard Sunset Shimmer say before she walked towards me, "Oh, it's you. Well, I guess it's only fair that you get paired up with her", she smirked as she passed me

"Geez, Bane really did it this time", I said to myself before I saw Twilight and Spike, "What was that all about?", I asked her

"Nothing", Twilight said lowly as we headed out of the hallway. I thought it was best not to press her further so I decided to say nothing of the matter.

"I met this world's Rainbow Dash", I said, "She seems to be as competitive as our Rainbow Dash"

"Really? Well, Spike and I also met Applejack and Pinkie Pie", she told me, "But it seems like there's some tension between the girls"

"Too bad. You hungry?", I smiled as her stomach growled

"Seems like it heheh", she smiled sheepishly as she saw a vending machine.

"Do you know how to use it?", I asked a rhetorical question

"Uhhh...I dunno", she replied as she tried to kick the vending machine

"Like that's gonna work", I thought as I facepalmed myself on the inside

A few seconds later, a girl with a platinum white hair approached the vending machine.

"Excuse me. The Great and Powerful Trixie!...", the girl put a coin inside the machine, "...Needs some peanut butter crackers!".

The next second, a packet of peanut butter crackers fell out which Trixie took, "Voila!", she said as she left

"I hope this thing accepts the paper ones too", I fed the machine a bill.

"Huh...what are the odds?", I smiled as I grabbed three packets of potato chips, "You want one?", I asked Twilight

"Thanks", she took a packet which she tried to tear open with her mouth.

"Let me handle that before someone sees you", I grabbed the packet and opened it using my hands, "There you go", I gave it back to her

"Sunset Shimmer is right. I don't know the first thing about this place", Twilight ate the chips, "If I'm gonna really fit in and win votes, we need to do some research"

"Research?", Spike asked

"This place has a school. I have to believe it's got a...library!", she exclaimed in glee when she saw the library.

"I'm going to snoop around...again for a few minutes", I told her as she headed towards the library. I had done my research so there was no need for me to be in the library unless I found some interesting book to read.

I went towards the auditorium before I saw a familiar face.

"Rarity?", the word slipped out of my mouth

"Do I know you, darling?", the blue haired girl asked

"No..no..", I said awkwardly, "Azel, glorified eater of fast food", I gave her a handshake

"My name's Rarity...glorified designer of clothing", she replied with a smile before she noticed the black shirt I was wearing, "Oh, can I take a closer look at your shirt?", she asked

"Of course, why not?", I gave her my shirt which she examined closely.

"Do you mind if I add a little detail in this?", she asked with a little bit of excitement

"Knock yourself out", I shrugged as she headed towards a room. After a few minutes, she returned with my shirt.

"Ta-da, it's nice, don't you think so?", she showed me the new mantis design on my shirt

"A mantis? Cool!", I quickly put the shirt on, "Wow, thanks Rarity", I gave her a little hug

"No problem, I'm a designer after all", she smiled

"Wait till Twilight sees this", I said as I left her, "Goodbye, I'll see you later"

"Goodbye!", she waved at me as I ran out of sight

In a few minutes, I was back at the entrance to the library. Judging from the sounds from within the library, I knew that Twilight was having trouble getting used to this world.

I was about to barge in and enter when I noticed Sunset Shimmer's lackeys hiding behind a table.

"What the fuck are you two doing?", I grabbed them by their collars

"N-Nothing", they replied as they ran out of the library as fast as they could

With the two boys out of the way, I decided to check on Twilight and Spike. "Sorry mister", three girls apologized after they bumped me as I stepped foot in the library.

"No harm done", I smiled as I watched them run away, "Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle?", I asked myself as I recognized the trio.

I went up to the second floor where Twilight was reading some books with Spike. "Hey, how's the research going?", I asked her

"Well, I have to say reading these books sure has boosted my confidence", Twilight replied with a smile before she noticed the mantis design on my shirt, "Nice design", she complimented me.

"Thanks. Wanna know who designed it? It was Rari...", I was interrupted by the cackle of the P.A. System

"The library will be closing in five minutes", the voice announced

"I hadn't even thought about where we're gonna sleep tonight", Twilight gasped

"Way ahead of you", Spike said as he assembled a book of beds, "It's a little [cough, cough] dusty. But it doesn't seem like anybody comes up here"

"Looks like that section's been rarely used", I stared at the place from where Spike got the books, "Jeff the Killer, Slenderman, The Rake and more creepypastas? Sounds like the perfect bedtime story", A grin came across my face as I began to read a book I found.

A few minutes later, I was having Goosebumps after reading just Jeff the Killer's story. "Oh fuck! Not the smile!", I was literally squirming in my seat which annoyed Spike.

"Can you keep it down?", Spike asked

"Holy crap! He just finished his own familia!", I threw the book away and faked a smile, "I didn't want to sleep anyway"

"Hey guys, take a look at this", Twilight said

"What is it?", Spike looked at the book Twilight was holding

"I found this book. It's called a yearbook", she adjusted the table lamp so we could all see it, "It seems to be something they use to keep a record of things that have happened at the school"

"Hey, look who it is", I pointed to a group photo

"That's Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and I'm gonna bet the girl on the far right is Rarity", Twilight recognized the younger selves of this world's mane six.

"There's a Rarity here!?", Spike said excitedly before lowering his voice, "Uh, I mean, uh...interesting photo"

"It's interesting because they look like they're friends", Twilight had that look she had when she was trying to put the pieces together

"They do look like our friends", Spike said, "But I thought we'd figured that out already"

"No I mean...they look like they're friends with each other", Twilight sounded a bit puzzled, "But it doesn't seem like they're friends now"

"Not so much", Spike said

"Really? Whatever the heck happened then?", I asked, surprised at what we saw

"I just can't help but get the feeling that Sunset Shimmer had something to do with it", she closed the yearbook.

"Yeah me too, I'm kinda getting more negative vibes from her", I remembered her insult from before

"I wouldn't put it past her. But she wanted your crown 'cause she's planning on doing something even worse!", Spike said, "If you're gonna stop her, you have to focus on making friends here. Can't worry about why these girls aren't friends anymore. Even if they do remind you of your Ponyville friends", Spike yawned before falling asleep.

"You're right, Spike", Twilight sighed, "Eyes on the prize"

"I envy him", I stared at the sleeping dog

"Huh?", Twilight asked

"I envy this little doge", I smiled

"Why?", Twilight asked again

"He's sleeping. I can't sleep", I faked a smile.

"Did you read a horror story or something?", she opened a book

"A creepypasta. I read a creepypasta and not just any creepypasta, I read Jeff's story", I told her

"Creepywhat? Ah, just try to get some sleep or else you'll feel tired in the morning", she concentrated on the book she held.

"That's gonna be fucking hard", I muttered as I ran around the library to stay awake, looking around for any signs of Jeff, "Man, this is the Insanity shit all over again", I thought as I slapped myself

An hour later, I was still awake but Twilight had already fallen asleep. I took my shirt and placed it over her and Spike. Soon, after running exactly twenty-four times around the library, I fell asleep at last.

I was awakened from my slumber by Twilight who was shaking me vigorously.

"AHH! JEFF!", I yelled

"There's no Jeff here, it's us", I could see Twilight and Spike standing next to me holding my shirt, "Thanks", Twilight smiled as she gave me my shirt

"No prob", I said as I put my shirt back on before wiping my eyes

"What's with that "Jeff" stuff? Nightmare?", Spike asked

"More like paranoia", I replied, as I stood up.

We began to head out of the library when suddenly; the PA system came to life again. "Good morning, students and happy Thursday", Celestia voice could be heard all over the school, "Just a reminder to pick up your ballots for the Princess of the Fall Formal today. They are all due at the time the dance starts tomorrow night, so don't forget to turn them in and make your voice heard".

"We better start asap then", I said

"Fluttershy said I'd need to win over all those different groups if I wanna become Princess of the Fall Formal", Twilight smiled, "So I've compiled a list of talking points"

"You made a list? That's so unlike you!", Spike laughed before quieting down, "Uh...Please...Continue"

"I'll start introducing myself, sprinkle in some things I learned about their world into the conversation, show them how I fit in here!", Twilight said before sighing, "Okay, Spike, Azel. Time to make a good first impression on my fellow students. The whole word sorta depends on it"

"And so does my burgers", I imagined myself swimming in a sea of burgers, "Gotta love 'em burgers"

"Yeah...that too", Twilight smiled

"Hey, look!", A boy shouted. The next moment the other students nearby began laughing out loud.

"What's wrong wi...", I was suddenly pulled away from Twilight by Chris

"Whew! Good thing I grabbed you before they realized you're with her", Chris hid me behind him.

"What the heck was that for?", I tried to head towards Twilight but Chris stopped me

"Look at this. Sunset Shimmer uploaded this video online", Chris showed me a video on his phone

"Twilight Sparkle wants to be your Fall Formal Princess. What does it say about out school if we give someone like this...such an important honor?", Sunset Shimmer smirked in the video which showed Twilight's embarrassing attempts at adapting to her human form.

"Oooo...I have to admit that's kinda funny", I smiled before noticing Chris' expression, "Sorry"

"I told you Sunset Shimmer's nothing but trouble", he put his phone into his pocket

"Well, it's Plan B then!", I took out a screw-driver and headed towards the office with Chris asking me what the heck I was doing.

**A/N : Well, that's a wrap to the 14****th**** Chapter. Thanks for reading this one too. Keep reading and reviewing.**


	15. Chapter 15 : Hands of Flames

**Chapter 15 : Hands of Flames**

**A/N : Ummmm...disclaimed?...thanks again as always. Thanks for the support and the reviews and the follows and the favourites.**

"What's Plan B?", Chris stared at me as I kept walking towards the office

"I steal the crown", I replied with a grin

"You're joking, right?", Chris said as he balled up his fist

"Sure...sure I am!", I laughed nervously as I began to walk away from the office, "Damn! If he wasn't here, I would have gotten the crown", I thought, "I mean, who the fuck allowed him to be in this story anyway?"

**The same one who allowed you to be here**

"Screw you!", I pointed my screw-driver at the ceiling before realizing what I just said, "I just had to say that", I laughed as I began walking back

"Are you sure you're not from an asylum or something?", Chris was not in the least amused

"Sure as heck I am", I threw the screw-driver away before I heard some voices behind a door, "Hey, Twilight, you there?", I barged in before noticing some girls were having a group hug, "Is this a bad time?", I asked as I began to back away

"Eep! Fluttershy!", Chris ran away at the mere sight of Fluttershy

"What's gotten into him?", I asked myself before I turned to Twilight, "So, I guess you succeeded in getting them back together?"

"Yep, she sure did", Applejack replied

"It seems like I was right about Sunset Shimmer", Twilight said with a smile

"She was the one who broke us apart with fake e-mails and messages", Rarity added

"But Twilight helped us get back together", Fluttershy continued

"This calls for a party!", Pinkie jumped happily

"Not yet, Pinkie, there's still Rainbow Dash", Twilight said as she and the others headed towards the school soccer pitch.

"You're not going anywhere, little doge", I grabbed Spike, "I'll catch up with you guys later", I told the girls

"Okay, but don't take too long", Twilight smiled as they left

"Where're we going?", Spike asked as I slid him inside a backpack

"I need you to distract the students while I carry out a plan", I began walking towards the office

"What plan?", Spike inquired before realizing what I was up to, "Hey...I told you to abort it, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes you did. But that was before I saw the video Sunset posted", I stood in front of the office, "So, here's the plan : You run over there and bark, causing everyone to try to catch you while I break in, grab the crown, tell Twilight we succeeded, grab you and head back to Equestria"

"No!", Spike gave me his best Grumpy Cat face

"No?", I was startled by the purple dog's response

"The girls have already agreed to help Twilight so there's still a chance", he said

"Really?", I let go of the door knob I was holding

"Yes, and I'm sure with their help, we'll succeed", Spike gave a smile of confidence

"Wow, much confidence very great", I smiled back as I headed towards the soccer pitch

What's with that weird way of talking?", he asked

"Haven't you heard of the "doge" meme?", I asked back

"Meme?", he looked confused

"I'll tell ya later", I said before I saw a boy with spiky blue hair, "Oh look, there's the waifu stealer", I pointed at the boy

"Waifu?", he seemed more and more puzzled with everything I said

In a few minutes, we reached the soccer pitch where it seemed like Twilight had made friends with this world's Rainbow Dash already.

"Hey, Azel!", Twilight called out to me

"Well, I see you have succeeded", I smirked before I placed Spike on the ground

"I'm sorry to say this but Twilight stinks at goal-keeping", Rainbow Dash joked as the others laughed

"So, you're all willing to help out Twilight?", I asked them. They all nodded their answer, "Great! Guess I won't have to use Plan B after all", I exclaimed, making them all stare at me

"Umm...What's Plan B?", Fluttershy asked

"Nothing important now that you're willing to help us dethrone Sunset Shimmer", I quickly replied before I heard a snickering behind the bleachers.

"What's the matter, darling?", Rarity saw me notice something

"I just thought I heard something", I replied before we all went back to the school.

In a few minutes, Twilight, Spike and I stood in front of a coffee shop.

"I'll have one with a fermented drink...you know, beer", I whispered into the ear of Mr. Cake who gave me a thumbs up as he poured something inside my cup, "Thanks", I gave him the money for both me and Twilight's cup

"And...can I get mine with extra oats?", Twilight asked

"Oats?", Mrs. Cake raised an eyebrow

"Uh, scratch that. However you normally make it is fine", Twilight nervously replied before Mrs. Cake gave her a cup.

"Oats", I smirked to which Twilight smiled sheepishly

The next second, the blue haired boy from before bumped into Twilight...again, making her splash her drink on the floor and making me growl in anger.

"Oh! We've got to stop bumping into each other like this", the boy said

"You know me! Always trying to make a big splash around here. 'Cause my drink kinda splashed...on the ground!", Twilight replied awkwardly, "I'm gonna go over there now", she added before heading towards me all the while staring at the boy as he went away

"[cough] waifu stealer [cough]", I joked

"Waifu what?", Twilight asked, still staring at the boy

"Doesn't matter", I replied as I finished my cup, "Bump into her again and I'll fuck you up", I muttered while glaring at the boy.

"Don't even think about it! You're already trying to get her crown",  
>Rarity told Twilight, "Who knows what Sunset Shimmer would do if you ended up getting her ex-boyfriend too?"<p>

"I'm not trying to. I don't even know...We just accidentally...Ex-boyfriend?", Twilight suddenly realized what Rarity had said.

"Flash Sentry broke up with her a few weeks ago. I can't believe she hasn't done something awful to him yet", Rarity replied

"Maybe she's just waiting until she has the power to do something really awful", Twilight said as the rest of the gang arrived

"All right, girls...and dude", Applejack noticed me lazily sitting on a chair, "The Dance is tomorrow night and we still don't know how we're gonna get Twilight the votes she need to be named princess. Right now, folks only know the Twilight from the videos Sunset Shimmer posted online. We need to help 'em see her differently"

Everyone nodded their agreement

"I'VE GOT IT!", Rarity suddenly exclaimed

"What? Ponybola?", I muttered as I slowly stood up

"No. Ahem, I mean", Rarity ignored my remark, "Um, perhaps I have a solution. Now this may be an absolutely preposterous idea, but what if we all wore these as a sign of unity?", she showed all of us some cheerleading type dresses with fake ears and fake tails.

"Hell I ain't wearing those", I whispered to Spike, "I'd rather rot in Tartarus than be caught wearing those"

"Shhh...it may just work", Spike replied

"Freshmen year, they were very, very popular. A way for everybody to show their school spirit! You know? "Go, Canterlot Wondercolts!", Rarity excitedly said before she regained her normal self, "Ahem. I haven't sold any in ages. I mean, the five of us are obviously very different, but deep down, we're the Canterlot Wondercolts! Sunset Shimmer is the one who divided us; Twilight Sparkle is the one who united us. And we're gonna let everyone know it! What do you think?"

"Yeah, it's awesome! Yay!", I yelled sarcastically before I made my way towards the library, "Keep it up", I gave them a thumbs as I headed back, Spike following me close behind

"Aren't you going to hear the rest of the plan?", Spike asked as I kept him inside my backpack

"Nope, the last time I got involved with girly stuff, I had to embarrass myself in front of the masses", I shuddered at the memory that dance I had at the party some days ago

"To be honest, I think you did great that night", Spike complimented me

"Wow much thanks very grateful", I grinned as we entered the library, "Hey, would you like to hear the story I read last night?"

"Sure, why not?", he shrugged as we headed up to the second floor

Due to the shock of hearing the creepypasta (Spike fainted at the mere sight of Jeff's face), both me and my canine companion were up for almost the entire night until we both fell asleep, exhausted after running thirty laps around the library.

In the morning, Twilight was busy with her plans for the day. She was so excited that she woke up in the dark.

I was left alone so I decided to spend the morning reading about Slenderman since I was done with Jeff. I was so done with Jeff.

To my horror, Slenderman was even worse. He could show up anytime and anywhere which made me even more paranoid.

I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't notice that it was lunch time until the school bell startled me again

"Holy burger!", I almost screamed as I dropped the book, "Must be lunch time", I placed the book in its original place before I headed towards the cafeteria.

Sunset Shimmer was standing outside the cafeteria with a scowl on her face. I could hear some music and singing from the cafeteria so ignoring the crimson-haired girl, I stared from the outside before I entered as the music and singing stopped.

I looked around and saw Twilight and her friends wearing the dresses, fake ears and stuff which Rarity brought the day before. And judging by the expressions on everyone's faces and the fake ears and tails, I could see that they had succeeded in their plan.

Twilight immediately ran towards me as soon as she noticed me. "We did it!", she told me as she hugged me.

"Yay!", I tried to sound excited before Rarity placed a fake ear and tail on me.

"There! That goes nicely with you", Rarity smiled

"What the heck!?", I looked at myself at a window, "Meh, maybe I'll play along just this once", I shrugged

"Doesn't everyone look just fabulous?", Rarity asked as she looked around the cafeteria

"It was a great idea, Rarity!", Twilight told Rarity

"Don't know what she's smilin' about", Applejack said after seeing Sunset Shimmer walking away with a smirk on her face, "Twilight's the one that's gonna be Princess of the Fall Formal"

"Well, it's nice to see you all happy and stuff but I'm going back to the library if you need me", I said as I headed back to the library.

On my way, I caught a glimpse of Sunset Shimmer holding some photos as she went inside the office of Vice Principal Luna.

I wanted to follow her but I decided I should rather continue reading Slenderman's story.

"Do you think she's up to something?", Flash suddenly asked me

"Holy fries!", I shouted before regaining my composure, "Well, what can I expect after reading about Slenderman?"

"What?", Flash asked

"Nothing. So, what's this you say about Sunset Shimmer?", I inquired before muttering a little extra something, "Waifu stealer"

"I think she's up to no good, I'm going to eavesdrop on her conversation", he said as he headed towards Luna's office

"Whatever", I headed towards the library. In a minute, I was back at the second floor, reading more creepypastas.

"Just as I thought!", Flash's voice from the floor below grabbed my attention

"Hey, waifu stea...I mean Flash, what've you got there?", I asked him

"Your friend Twilight has been accused of destroying Pinkie's decorations!", he replied as I went down to see what he was holding, "Sunset Shimmer showed Vice Principal Luna fake altered photos of Twilight destroying the decorations in the auditorium. With these, we can prove her innocence"

"She so should have stayed in Equestria", I mumbled

"Huh?", Flash looked at me

"Nothing important. So, Twilight's been accused, eh? Well, what're we waiting for? If we can prove that she's not guilty, let's head over right now", I pushed him out of the library

In a few seconds, we reached Vice Principal Luna's office where Twilight and Luna were present.

"You go in and explain the shit", I told him as I stood outside

"The what?", he looked puzzled

"Just go", I egged him on before he knocked on the door and entered the office

"Vice Principal Luna, I found these in a trash can in the library. Thought you should see them", Flash said as he handed the photographs to Luna, "Someone obviously combined these photos to make it look like Twilight was the one who trashed the gym"

"I appreciate you bringing these to my attention, Flash", Luna said as she examined the photos before turning to Twilight, "In light of this new evidence, you may of course continue your bid to be crowned the Princess of the Fall Formal"

"Thank you! You have no idea how important this is to me!", Twilight told Flash

"What was I gonna do?", Flash chuckled, "Not prove your innocence? Wouldn't be much of a Canterlot Wondercolt, would I?"

"I am afraid enough damage has been done to the gym that we will have to postpone the dance until tomorrow night. If you will excuse me, I need to let my sister know about this latest development", Luna said before she left

"So, uh, I was wondering if you aren't already going with somebody, wanna go to the Fall Formal with me tomorrow night?", Flash asked Twilight which instantly grabbed my attention

"I'll fucking mess you up, waifu stealer", I growled in a tone inaudible to the two. Having been close to her family, I was a bit protective of Twilight. Anyway, I wanted to hear her reply so I hid behind a potted plant.

"That would be...", Twilight was about to reply but she suddenly realized something, "Tomorrow night? No, no-no-no-no-no no no no no! Nononononono! I can't! The portal! That'll be too late!", she said before she ran away

"One "no" would have been fine!", Flash said dejectedly as he watched Twilight run away.

"Tough luck, Brad", I patted him while smiling on the inside

"So, are you going with her tomorrow night?", he asked me

"Nope", I replied

"Really? Cause you kinda seem like her..", Flash said

"Her boyfriend? No no, I'm more of her guardian", I chuckled before I realized something, "Tomorrow night? Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck! fuckfuckfuck!", I ran away from Flash.

If the dance did not happen that night, we would probably have to wait for a long time for it to open again. And I won't be able to eat the burgers I've been craving so much.

After a few seconds of hysterically spewing profanity, I calmed down and began searching for Twilight.

I saw Fluttershy enter a boutique so I decided to search for her there. Just as I thought, she was hiding behind a changing room curtain where the other girls were looking on worried.

"What's the matter?", I asked the girls

"We don't know, she just dashed in here and hid herself", Applejack replied

"Let's wait for a bit", I told them. I've known about Twilight's tendency to do things like this when she was either afraid or in despair.

"You okay?", Applejack asked Twilight as she came out of her hiding place

"The Fall Formal isn't happening tonight", Twilight replied lowly

"WHAT!?", Pinkie Pie exclaimed

"It had to be postponed because Sunset Shimmer had Snips and Snails ruin all of Pinkie Pie's decorations", Twilight added

"WHAT!?" Pinkie gave an even louder exclamation

"But the Fall Formal has to happen tonight", Twilight continued

"Wha-!", Pinkie was about to shout again but she stopped herself

"You see...", Twilight sighed as she prepared to tell them the truth about herself.

"You're from an alternate world and you're a pony princess there and the crown actually has a magical element embedded in it that helps power up other magical elements and without it they don't work anymore, and you need them all to help protect your magical world, and if you don't get the crown tonight, you'll be stuck in this world and you won't be able to get back for, like, a really, really long time!", Pinkie gasped at the end

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that isn't the reason", Rainbow Dash said

"Nope, she's pretty much spot-on", Spike commented, surprising everyone.

"He can talk!?", Rarity was the first to speak

"Oh, yeah! And back where I come from, I'm not even a dog! I'm a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon!", Spike proudly said

"This is so amazing!", Fluttershy seemed excited at seeing a talking animal, "Tell me, what are you thinking right now?"

"Sure would love a scratch behind the old ears!", Spike replied

"Gah...", Rarity and I said in disgust

"Uh, maybe later", Spike smiled sheepishly

"How did you know all that?", Twilight asked Pinkie

"Just a hunch", Pinkie giggled

"Wait a minute! Lemme get this straight. You're a pony?", Applejack wanted to clarify the situation

"You're a princess?", Rarity asked

"You're from another world?", Fluttershy added

"Mm-hmm", Twilight gulped

"That...is...awesome!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed before the girls began to huddle around Shining's little sister, apparently excited at the sudden revelation

"See? Told ya", Spike smirked

"So, does that mean Azel is...?", Fluttershy asked, causing everyone to stare at me

"I'm a freakin' prince, okay?", I nearly shouted before turning to Twilight, "So, now that they know the truth, can we please execute Plan B?"

"What's Plan B?", Rainbow Dash asked

"Nothing important", Twilight replied, "What we need to be worried about is the decorations which had been destroyed"

"I simply cannot believe they did all this!", Rarity said

"If I only had some kind of...party cannon that could decorate something super fast!", Pinkie commented

"I know it seems impossible, but, maybe if we all work together?", Twilight suggested

"Now that's the kinda spirit I'm lookin' for in a Fall Formal Princess!", Applejack said, "Let's do it, ya'll!"

"Absolutely!", Rarity agreed

"Rock on!", Rainbow Dash added

"Yes, indeedily!", Pinkie jumped happily

"Yaay!", Fluttershy whispered before we headed towards the school auditorium to clean up the mess and redecorating it.

To my surprise, as the girls began the work, other students lent a helping hand. In no time, they finished it.

"This...looks...sooooo..GOOD!",Pinkie could hardly contain her excitement at seeing the new and improved decorations

"Good job, Twilight. I have to admit, I had my doubts before but you really managed to pull through", I patted her

"Thanks, Santa", she smiled

"So, Twilight, are you related or is he...?", Rarity whispered in Twilight's ear

"No no", Twilight blushed, "He's like...umm...he's like..."

"I'm her brother from another mother, if you know what I mean", I raised an eyebrow

"Oh, that kind of relationship", Rainbow Dash said

"All right, everyone! Fall Formal is back on for this evening!", Celestia announced. All the students cheered loudly at that, "So you'd better get out of here and start getting ready. Oh, and don't forget to cast your ballots for the Fall Formal Princess on your way out", Celestia added

One by one the students began telling Twilight about how they would vote for her.

After a few minutes, we were back at the boutique where the girls began to get themselves ready for the Formal.

"I still can't believe we pulled that off!", Fluttershy said

"I can! We're awesome!", Rainbow Dash pumped her fist

"Enough chatter, girls", Rarity said, "We need to get ready, and we need to look fabulous!"

"Oh, I almost forgot. What are you going to wear?", Twilight asked me

"Nothing. I wouldn't be caught dead in a monkey suit!", I replied which caught the attention of the girls who exchanged grins, "Oh no!", I noticed them, "Heck no!", I tried to get away but they caught me

"Make him wear the monkey suit!", Spike teased as they threw me inside a changing room

"And I would've gotten away without wearing a suit if it weren't for you meddling girls", I joked as Rarity gave me a black tuxedo to wear.

A few minutes later, I was dressed like a gentlecolt or in this form, a gentleman.

"We're all finished, darling", Rarity said, "What about you?"

"I still can't believe you made me wear this monkey suit", I frowned as I came out of the room before I was greeted by "Wow"s and "Ooh!"s.

"Wow, much monkey very suit!", Spike laughed

"Good one", I smiled before I turned to the girls, "Well...you all look...beautifully fabulous!", I commented

"Thanks", Twilight said before we left the boutique.

For no reason whatsoever, I declined riding along with them in a limo as I preferred walking. Actually, I had motion-sickness which kinda sucked.

As I reached the school, I began to have thoughts about my family and friends back in Equestria. "Will I be able to get back tonight or will I not?", that was the question

**A/N: And that's all folks. The next chapter will probably be updated in two days at most so stay tuned.**


	16. Chapter 16 : Fiend's Grip

**Chapter 16 : Fiend's Grip**

**A/N : Wow, updated this one sooner than expected. Anyway, Bane's coming and Sunset's odd behavior will be explained. Enjoy**

I hastily ate the taco I was carrying before I noticed the girls getting out of a limosine.

"I see you all made it", I greeted them

"Hey, how come you reached so quickly despite not riding anything?", Rainbow Dash asked

"I walked, duh?", I replied before turning to Twilight, "Well, you look nervous, more than usual", I smirked

"I'm still having small doubts that's all heheh", Twilight said

"Don't worry about anything", Rarity assured her, "After what transpired today, I believe everyone will be on our side"

"Uh-oh, looks who's here", I growled as I saw Flash rush out of his car

"I don't get why you're so hostile around him", Spike asked me

"It's because most of the bronies don't like him", I replied, "Isn't that right, author?"

**Yup, you're pretty much spot-on**

"Who are you talking to?", Spike saw me staring into space

"No one", I grinned as Flash stood next to Twilight

"Uh, Twilight! Look, I know you said "no" about going to the Fall Formal with me, but would you reconsider and at least have one dance?", Flash asked

"I didn't say "no"! I mean, I did, but...! didn't mean no to you, I was...well, what I mean is...", I chuckled when I saw Twilight messing up her words, "yes, I'd love to dance with you!", she replied

"You win this time, Brad", I growled

"His name's Flash", Spike corrected me

"Right! Flash!", I smiled as we entered the auditorium

Inside the auditorium, the girls and the rest of the attendees danced to waifu stealer and his band's live performance. I managed to shrug off any offer to join in the dance as I was content staying near the free tacos and the free ciders. Besides, Spike was also there to give me some company

"Wow, Flash's really great with guitar", Spike commented

"I could totally rap faster than he could do a guitar solo", I was not that impressed by the blue haired boy and his band. They were good, but not that good as compared to Hyper Blitz's band back in Equestria. But then again, Hyper Blitz had been rocking for more than a decade now so it wasn't really fair comparing the two.

"Really? You mean like that rap you did two days ago in the cafeteria?", Spike seemed interested

"You heard me rap?", I was surprised by the dog's reply. I had thought that Fluttershy was the only one who had heard it.

"Yes, I think you're great. Although I'm not that much of a fan of food rap heheh", he laughed nervously, trying his best not to make me feel offended

"Thanks", I patted him before I headed towards Flash and his band

"Where're you going?", Spike followed me

"You kinda gave me an idea little doge", I smiled before I turned my attention to Flash and his band who had just finished their song

"Oh, hey Azel", Flash greeted me

"Hey Brad...I mean Flash", I quickly corrected myself, "Good performance", I said

"Thanks", Flash replied, "Though it would be much better if we had an extra hand to handle a guitar"

"I can do it", I took a guitar from a guitar case, "Follow this riff, alright?", I smirked as I plugged the guitar in.

"O-Okay", he seemed surprised by my sudden actions

Can I, a pony who had never held a guitar before, play it? The answer...fuckin' yes. When I was a young colt, Feather Tune, a guitarist from Hyper Blitz's band taught me a few basics and how to improvise and shit.

"Let's rock!", I yelled into the mic in front of me before playing the riffs of the song, "Bleed it Out",

Everyone in the auditorium looked surprised at seeing the new face including Spike who was worried that I might try to embarrass Flash.

"Maintain this riff, will ya?", I grinned as I stopped playing the riff which Flash continued, "Canterlot High! Are you ready for some freakin' rock and roll tonight!?", I shouted.

The crowd screamed their approval

"Alright! While we play this, get your hands up like this, hands up!", I lifted my hand up before I began to rap,

"_Yeah! Here we go for the hundredth time,_

_Hands grenade pins in every line,_

_Throw 'em up and let something shine,_

_Going out of my freakin' mind,_

_Filthy mouth, no excuse, _

_Find a new place to hang this noose, _

_String me up from atop these roofs, _

_Knot me tight so I won't get loose,_

_Truth is you can't stop and stare, _

_Bled myself out and no one cares,_

_Dug a trench out and laid down there,_

_With a shovel up out of reach somewhere,_

_Yeah! Someone pour it in,_

_Make it a dirt dance floor again,_

_Say your prayers and stomp it out when we bring that chorus in_"

I finished it by continuing the riff with Flash as the crowd pumped their fists up and down all the while.

"Whoa, awesome rap!", Flash gave me a thumbs up

"Keep playing, buddy, it's all yours", I smiled as I placed my guitar down, leaving Flash and his band to continue the song.

"You've got some mad rapping skills", Chris was the first one to speak to me

"Thanks", I gave him a bro-fist before heading towards Twilight and the others.

"Never knew you had that side to you", Twilight was impressed by the short show

"It's always been my side", I grinned

"And nice guitar skills too", Applejack commented

"Those were some awesome riffs you pulled out", Rainbow Dash said

"Just enjoy the dance and thanks for your feedback", I smiled as I slowly went back to the buffet line.

"Anybody see Sunset Shimmer?", Twilight asked

"Maybe she was too embarrassed to show!", Rainbow Dash smirked, "She's gotta know you won by a landslide!"

"Maybe...", Twilight could not help but feel uneasy at the absence of Sunset Shimmer.

The music ended as the crowd cheered loudly. After the noise died down, Celestia started to address the gathering.

"First off, I wanna say how wonderful everything looks tonight. You all did a magnificent job putting things together after the unfortunate events of earlier", Celestia praised the efforts of her students.

"What are you doing?", Spike asked me as I was stuffing tacos inside a small bag

"Just a little snack for the way home", I grinned

"And now, without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of this year's Fall Formal crown", Celestia said, "The Princess of this year's Fall Formal is...Twilight Sparkle!"

"What?!", I spat the cider I was drinking out of surprise as everyone cheered loudly. I held up my glass as Twilight glanced at me

"Congratulations, Twilight", Celestia placed the crown on Twilight's head.

"Azel! Twilight! Help!", I heard Spike's voice behind me. Twilight seemed to notice it too as she quickly made her way over with her friends.

"Yo, doge! Where you at?", I looked around before I saw Snips and Snails grab Spike through a back door, "Sorry tacos", I kissed the packet of tacos I was holding before throwing them away.

"Where's Spike?", Twilight asked

"Sunset Shimmer's lackeys got him", I replied as we rushed outside to see Sunset Shimmer holding a sledgehammer while Spike was being restrained by Snips and Snails.

"They've got Spike!", Twilight exclaimed as she tried to get closer

"No shit, Sherlock", I said, throwing away my glass

"That's close enough!", Sunset Shimmer raised her sledgehammer. I could see the black streaks on the ground near her

"Twilight!", Spike shouted

"Don't hurt him!", Twilight pleaded. She would've never forgiven herself if something bad happened to Spike.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. I'm not a monster, Twilight", Sunset Shimmer smirked before she turned to Snips and Snails, "Let him go"

The two boys obeyed and let Spike go who instantly ran towards us.

"You don't belong here. Give me the crown and you can go back to Equestria tonight. Or keep it and never go home", Sunset Shimmer aimed her sledgehammer at the portal

"We so should have gone with Plan B", I groaned as Twilight gasped

"Seriously? At a time like this?", Spike didn't seem amused one bit

"Tick-tock, Twilight. We haven't got all night. The portal will be closing on its own in less than an hour. So, what's your answer?", Sunset Shimmer knew she had the upper-hand.

"No!", Twilight sternly replied which caught Sunset Shimmer off-guard.

"What!? Equestria! Your friends! Lost to you forever! Don't you see what I'm about to do to the portal!?", Sunset Shimmer tried to reason with her

"Yes, but I've also seen what you've been able to do without magic. Equestria will find a way to survive without my Element of Harmony", Twilight said, "This place might not, if I allow it to fall into your hands. So go ahead. Destroy the portal. You are not getting this crown!"

Sunset Shimmer hesitated for a moment before she finally gave in, "Fine. You win", she mumbled before throwing her sledgehammer down.

"You...are...so awesome!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"I can't believe you were gonna do that for us!", Applejack said

"It's no wonder you're a real live princess!", Rarity added

The next moment, unknown and unseen to the others, the black streaks on the ground rose up above Sunset Shimmer and transformed into Bane.

"Well, hello there, Beast of Tartarus", Bane grinned

"So, you were the one behind this", I growled. I could see that only I was able to see Bane.

"Who're you talking to?", Spike asked

"The real cause of all this", I did not take my eyes off of Bane who floated above Sunset Shimmer.

"Let's have some more fun, shall we?", Bane snickered before shooting a black orb inside Sunset Shimmer.

The next moment, Sunset's expression changed from that of hopeless to a more sinister determination.

"Oh, yes, she's so very special!", Sunset Shimmer said before turning to Snips and Snails, "Grab him ,you fools!"

Spike whimpered as he was taken away from the girls. The distraction was long enough for Sunset to tackle Twilight by surprise, knocking her crown off in the process.

"What'd you do to her!?", I yelled at Bane while the others were trying to get the crown.

"The same thing I did to you hahahaha", Bane laughed, "I manipulated her hatred for Celestia and used it for my own desires. When she succeeds, I'll empower her and she'll be under my control forever. Too bad that didn't happen with you"

"Wait! Does this mean when I met her some days ago she...?", I almost had all the pieces together.

"Yes, she slipped out of my control for a few days due to your interference", he replied, "She had already been repentant but I put her back in order heheh"

"Why didn't she remember me then?", I growled at the knowledge of Bane's deeds.

"I blocked her memory of you so she wouldn't turn to you for help heheh", Bane replied before noticing Sunset had gotten hold of Twilight's crown, "But don't worry, she'll remember you as soon as I give her some of my powers which will happen right..."he added as Sunset put the crown on her head, "..now!"

"At last! More power than I could ever imagine!", Sunset chuckled as she wore the crown.

The next second, Bane's power enveloped her. I could see the worry on her face when she turned towards me.

"Help!", I could see her signal me but it was too late. Bane had gotten control of her and Twilight's magic.

I watched in shock as she was lifted into the air as Bane's magic surrounded her. By this time, the other students had also noticed the event.

A few moments later, Sunset Shimmer was transformed into a demonic creature, with red skin, fiery hair, wings and a tail.

She then proceeded to transform Snips and Snails into similar creatures before laughing maniacally as the students screamed in horror.

"We so should have stuck to Plan B", I ate some popcorn before I noticed that Bane had disappeared

The students tried to retreat to the safety of the school doors but Sunset Shimmer tore away the entire front entrance.

"I've had to jump through so many hoops tonight just to get my hands on this crown, and it should have been mine all along", Sunset Shimmer growled, "But let's let bygones be bygones. I am your princess now and you will be loyal...to me!"

With that, Sunset flew into the school before using Bane's magic to hypnotize the fleeing students.

"Great! Zombies! How original!", I sarcastically commented as the students began to moan like the walking dead

"I'll deal with you later, Azel", Sunset glared at me before she turned to her lackeys, "Round them up and bring them to the portal"

"Zombie invasion? Like that's never been done before", I walked over to a supposedly zombified Chris, "Hmm...to be honest, you're really good at pretending to be a zombie", I smirked

"Hey, I don't wanna get eaten", Chris hushed me before he resumed his previous movement

"I should get some plants just in case", I looked around before spotting a bowl of cherries, "Cherry Bomb?", I thought before throwing the cherries on the students, "So much for that idea", I shrugged before I headed towards Twilight and the others.

"Spoiler alert : I was bluffing when I said I was going to destroy the portal", Sunset Shimmer confessed, "I don't want to rule this pathetic little high school. I want Equestria! And with my own little teenage army behind me, I am going to get it!"

"She wants my burgers?", I asked Spike

"Seems like it", Spike replied

"That's it! Damn you Bane!", I screamed as I tried to tackle Sunset Shimmer, only to brought down by Snips and Snails, "Oh, hey guys!", I laughed nervously as they pinned me down

"Azel!", Twilight tried to help me but was stopped by a line of fire between us.

"Except for the fact that I'm pinned down by two garlic-smelling dumbasses, I'm fine. Worry about her", I told Twilight.

"You're not going to get it!", Twilight yelled at Sunset Shimmer

"Oh please! What exactly do you think you're going to do to stop me? I have magic and you have nothing!", Sunset laughed

"She has us!", Rainbow Dash retorted as they stood around Twilight.

"Gee, the gang really is all back together again", Sunset scoffed at their efforts; "Now step aside! Twilight has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times already! She needs to be dealt with!", she laughed before shooting a fireball at Twilight

"That's gotta hurt!", I commented as the fireball connected.

Sunset was sure of her victory but she gasped when she saw that Twilight was protected by a pink (why does it have to be fucking pink!) force field when her friends huddled together.

"I'll be honest, I kinda expected that", I smirked before throwing the two demons off me, "And stay off, you fuckin' lackeys", I chased them around the grounds.

"Hey! No fair!", Snips shouted at me

"Yeah! We pinned you first!", Snails added

"What-the fuck-ever!" I continued my pursuit before I caught up with them, "Lights out!", I smiled before bumping their heads together, knocking them out.

"The magic contained in my Element was able to unite with those that helped that create it!", Twilight said as an aura from the crown engulfed her and the others in light, linking each of them to their Element of Harmony and giving them pony-like traits including actual ears, wings and hair extensions.

"Where's mine?", I shouted before I pouted (that rhymed)

"Honesty! Kindness! Laughter! Generosity! Loyalty! Magic! Together with a crown, they create a power beyond anything you could imagine, but it is a power you don't have the ability to control!", Twilight said, "The crown may be upon your head but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all: the magic of friendship!", Twilight added

The next moment, the magic around Twilight and her friends exploded, causing a double-helical rainbow to shoot out and engulf Sunset Shimmer, Snips and Snails.

No!", Sunset Shimmer screamed, "What is happening!?"

"Here and in Equestria, it is the only magic that can truly unite us all!", Twilight replied

"Wow, much rainbow very power", I grinned

The duo of Snips and Snails were turned back to their old selves, but Sunset Shimmer was still surrounded by a purple orb.

"Huh? I was sure that would work!", Twilight was shocked at seeing Sunset Shimmer still in her demonic form

"Ha! Is that all you've got?", Sunset Shimmer smirked

"What good is friendship without some funny?", I asked as I leapt towards Sunset, instantly absorbing the orb which protected her. Just as I expected, Twilight and her friends had managed to destroy Bane's magic but could not penetrate through Sunset's hatred.

"Yep, you get more power when you're near hatred or if you feel hate", Sonata's voice echoed in my head.

After absorbing the hatred, I could see that my hair had some black streaks and I also had pony-ears.

"I so did not sign up for this shit", I sighed before I transferred the absorbed powers to Twilight who conjured a more powerful beam which stripped Sunset Shimmer of her powers while releasing the other students from her mind control.

"I got ya", I said as I caught Sunset Shimmer as she fell. She was finally free of Bane's grip.

"Nice catch!", Spike commented

"Thanks", I replied before Sunset came to

"A-Azel, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry", she began to cry

"Well, I guess you owe me twice now heheh", I joked before I helped her out of the crater.

"You will never rule Equestria. Any power you may have had in this world is gone. Tonight, you've shown everyone who you really are. You've shown them what is in your heart", Twilight told Sunset Shimmer

"I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know there was another way", Sunset apologized

"The magic of friendship doesn't just exist in Equestria. It's everywhere. You can seek it out or you can forever be alone. The choice is yours", Twilight replied

Since I still had a little bit of my old unicorn magic left, I was able to look inside Sunset Shimmer's mind.

She had been a good student like Twilight but due to her not getting what she wanted, she betrayed Celestia. Bane saw this as a chance to rule Equestria and immediately manipulated her hatred for Celestia, giving her nightmares about Celestia mistreating her or ignoring her.

However when I interfered, she began to ease up on her hatred. But Bane quickly returned with full force and gave her nightmares again. She garnered more hatred and it led to her stealing Twilight's crown. But now, because she was free, Bane could no longer control her even if he wanted to.

"But...But all I've ever done since being here is drive everyone apart", Sunset said, "I don't know the first thing about friendship"

"I bet they can teach you", Twilight pointed to her friends

"Those are my girls! Woo-hoo!", Spike exclaimed

"Did that dog just talk? Whoa. Weird", A boy said

"Seriously? The talking dog is a weird thing about all this?", Spike asked

"I, for one, think you're adorable", Rarity patted him

"Oh, yeah", Spike smiled before he noticed me carrying a bucket full of water, "What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of these black streaks, duh! Celestia would kill me if she saw this", I replied before lifting the bucket above me

"I don't think that's gonna...", Spike said before I doused myself in water, "...work"

"Damn", I threw the bucket away as the girls including Sunset Shimmer laughed at me, "I'll admit it. That was a pretty silly idea", I chuckled.

"I believe this belongs to you", Celestia said as she gave Twilight her crown, "A true princess in any world leads not by forcing others to bow before her, but by inspiring others to stand with her.."

"She sounds just like my sister", I told Chris who was standing next to Celestia

"Who's your sister?", Chris asked

"Let's avoid the "awkward" by not answering that heheh", I smiled sheepishly

"...We have all seen that you are capable of just that. I hope you can see it too, Princess Twilight", Celestia told Twilight

"I do", Twilight replied as the students cheered

"Would now be a completely awkward time to ask you for that dance?", Flash extended his hand towards Twilight

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, freakin' timeout", I stood between the two

"What's wrong, Azel?", Twilight asked

"I promised her family that I would always look out for her and protect her", I told Flash

"I know. So, I'm okay with it if you won't let her dance with me", Flash replied

"Azel? Do you really mean it?", Twilight asked

"Sure am. You're like a little sister to me", I patted her as she hugged me, "Anyway, after what you did for her, I guess it wouldn't be fair for me to be overprotective", I added, "So, you have my permission to ask her again"

"Umm...okay...", Flash stammered before turning to Twilight, "So, could we have that dance now?"

"...yes, I'd love to", Twilight accepted before I growled again, causing the two to look at me

"I'm just messing with ya, go!", I chuckled before the rest of the gang head over to the auditorium.

"Are you coming along or what?", Applejack asked

"I'll be there in a sec", I replied before I turned to Sunset Shimmer, "You know, I was manipulated by Bane once too"

"Bane? You mean the creature from my nightmares?", she asked

"The same one. He also used my hatred for Celestia against me and as a result I almost killed her and destroyed Equestria", I confessed, "But don't worry. He won't bother you anymore"

"W-Why are you being nice to me?", Sunset turned away, "I hurt your family and friends and tried to take over Equestria"

"Twilight's friends will teach you the magic of friendship. I'm just giving you a head start", I smiled as I headed towards the auditorium

"Thanks", Sunset gave me a smile

I reached the auditorium to notice the girls taking a group photo. I barely managed to arrive before the photographer took the photo.

After some more minutes of dancing and eating tacos and stuff, it was time for us to get back home.

Twilight and her friends embraced each other while saying goodbyes and good lucks.

"You haven't hugged him yet", Twilight giggled as she looked at me

"Hell no! Not with the monkey suit on!", I yelled before being hugged like heck.

"You'll look out for her, won't you?", Twilight asked her friends as Vice Principal Luna handed Sunset Shimmer a trowel while Snips and Snails followed her with a wheelbarrow of bricks.

"Of course we will", Rarity replied, "Although I do expect some sort of apology for last spring's debacle"

"I have a feeling she'll be handing out a lot of apologies", Twilight said

"We better get going", Spike tugged her

"I know we've only been friends for a short time, but I'm gonna miss all of you so much", Twilight sighed as she headed towards the portal

"Yeah...what she said", I smiled before noticing Sunset Shimmer in the background, "Good luck on your new life", I sent a telepathic message to her

"Yours too", she sent one back

"The crown really does suit you, Princess Twilight", Spike complimented

"You know what? I am starting to feel a little more comfortable wearing it", she replied

"You look fabulous", I faked Rarity's voice

"Thanks", she smiled

"And the wings?", Spike asked

"I've been walking on two legs and picking things up with these!", she held her arms up, "Wings? I'm thrilled that's all I'll be dealing with back in Equestria!"

The moon rose in its peak to cover over the center star and with a flash, the portal closed behind us a few seconds before we heard a thud.

"Oh, bummer!", I heard Pinkie's voice. Apparently, the portal must have closed in on her.

"Crap, I've forgotten something!", I suddenly remembered as the black streaks disappeared

"What is it?", Twilight asked we saw the other end of the portal.

The three of us emerged from the portal where our family and friends were patiently waiting for us.

Spike ran off easily but Twilight was having a little trouble with her legs so I made her lean on me till she was able to walk.

"My tacos!", I yelled, trying to re-enter the portal, only to smack into a solid surface, "Dammit", I muttered before being hugged by Celestia

"Oh, little brother, I was so worried when I heard you were transported to another world", she hugged me tightly

"Well...I'm back...could...you...could you...loosen your grip!", I whispered

"Oh, sorry about that", she let go of me before she turned to Twilight, "Sunset Shimmer, is she alright?"

"I think she's gonna be fine. I left her in good hands", Twilight replied, causing Rarity and Rainbow Dash to look at each other, confused.

"What are hands?", Rainbow Dash asked

Ignoring the questions Twilight's friends were asking her, I turned to Celestia, "There's a you in the world we returned from. I have to say, she was quite a good mother judging from her son's personality"

"Mother? I'm a mother in the other world?", Celestia asked me

"Not you...you! I think I'm gonna barf", my motion-sickness had returned and I laid flat on the floor, "It was...quite...the experience", I smiled before a pegasus guard bumped into Twilight.

"We've got to stop bumping into each other like this", the guard said before galloping away

"Oh, shit no!", I covered my face as Twilight asked Cadance who that was

"Flash Sentry. I think. Why? Do you know him?", Cadance replied

"OH HELL NO!", I yelled as Twilight giggled.

Yup, things were certainly going to be kinda interesting from now on.

**A/N: Whew, this one's a long one. Anyway, thanks for reading, see ya'll next chapter.**


	17. Chapter 17 : Creeping Chaos

**Chapter 17 : Creeping Chaos**

**A/N: Welcome ya'll. Since Equestria Girls has been covered, the story will continue from Princess Twilight Sparkle (the first episode of the fourth season) enjoy**

"And now, without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of this year's Fall Formal crown", Celestia said, "The Princess of this year's Fall Formal is...Azel!"

"What the fuck!?" I yelled as I threw the glass of cider I was drinking

"Way to go, Azel", Twilight hugged me

"I knew you could do it!", Spike exclaimed as everyone applauded me

"Wait, Twilight, I thought you were gonna win it", I went towards Celestia who held the crown above my head

"No, silly. You're the one who ran for it", Twilight smiled

"Congratulations, Azel", Celestia said as she placed the crown on my head

"HOLY BURGERS WITH EXTRA MUSTARD AND KETCHUP!", I screamed as I woke up. My scream awakened Celestia, Cadance and Shining who were sleeping next to me.

"What's wrong? I heard Azel scream", Twilight entered the room

"It was so horrible! So horrible!", I buried my face in Celestia's fur

"There, there, did you have a nightmare?", Celestia placed her wings around me

"Mmm-hmm", I nodded

"Wow, it must be some bad nightmare", Shining said

"The worst", I shuddered

"Well, what was it about?", Cadance asked, concern was in her eyes.

"I-I...I was...", I stammered

"Well, go on", Twilight said

"I was...I was a PRINCESS!", I yelled as I hid behind a blanket.

"Princess?", Celestia raised an eyebrow while the others tried their best not to laugh, "How in Equestria is that horrible?"

"I suppose that is kinda horrifying", Shining snorted

"Oh come on...only that?", Twilight threw the blanket off

"I guess it was kinda silly overreacting to something like that", I gave them my best smile

"Come on, I'll make you some coffee", Cadance offered

"With m-marshmallows?", I asked timidly, more timid than Fluttershy

"With marshmallows", Cadance nodded

"Well, what are we waiting for?", I jumped out of bed and grabbed Cadance's hoof before dragging her towards the kitchen.

"Why are you acting like a young colt?", Cadance giggled as we reached the kitchen

"Coffee with marshmallows please?", I levitated a cup near Cadance while making puppy-eyes.

"Of course, Azel", Cadance smiled as she started to make a cup of coffee, "So, I heard in the world you went to, there were counterparts of your sister and Twilight's friends. Did you meet our counterparts too?"

"Sorry, I didn't roam around that much. But I did hear from Pinkie's counterpart that Twilight's counterpart was in a big city so there's a possibility", I replied before Shining entered

"When are you two going to stop running off like that?", Shining joked

"I dunno. Maybe when you finally pay me back that two hundred French Fries you owed me", I retorted

"Oh come on! I was hungry!", he pretended to look sad

"Shining!", Cadance glared at her husband as she handed me my coffee

"Alright! Alright!", Shining said before opening a secret hatch on the ceiling from where ready-to-fry French Fries packets were located

"When did you put all that?", Cadance asked

"When we moved in. Heheh sorry, couldn't help myself", Shining smiled sheepishly

"I'll take five of 'em", I levitated some packets down before I sipped my coffee, "Ah! This tastes so fuckin' good"

"Now that I've given him what he wanted, could I have a cup too?", Shining asked

"Make it yourself", Cadance playfully threw a cup at Shining

"So, I heard the Summer Sun Celebration's coming up in two days", I decided to be serious for a sec

"Yes, to tell you the truth, before Aunt Luna came back Aunt Celestia would never celebrate the festival as it made her remember her banishment of Aunt Luna", Cadance replied

"Ooo...that would have sucked", I finished my cup, "So, do you two mind if I get some shut eye again. I didn't sleep much in the last few days", I said, referring to the near sleepless nights due to having read creepypastas.

"Sure, but I guess we'll have to inform Aunt Celestia about that", Cadance said before the three of us headed towards the chamber where Celestia was present.

"Oh, I take it you enjoyed your coffee", Celestia patted me

"I sure did...wait!", I suddenly realized something, "If I drank coffee then how the heck am I suppose to sleep again?", I laughed at my absentmindedness

"I guess you could sleep early tonight", Celestia said before turning to my two friends, "We have to get back to Canterlot now so I bid you two farewell"

"Do we have to?", I frowned

"Sorry, little brother, but we need to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration", she smiled at me

"Don't give me that", I smiled back

"Give you what?", she giggled

"That look! You know I can't refuse when you make that face", I sighed as I chuckled

"Well, you two look happier than ever", Cadance commented

"Yeah, it's a joy seeing you two like this", Shining added before turning to me, "Take care of little Twily for me please"

"Will do, buddy", I gave the two a hug before Celestia began her teleportation spell

"Uh-oh", Cadance giggled

"What?", I asked before realizing Celestia had just finished her spell, "Oh shi-"

In an instant, we were back at Canterlot where I could hear Twilight and her friends doing something.

"I'm gonna go over there and hurl", I held a hoof to my mouth as I tried to run outside

"Sorry, I'll take care of that", Celestia said as she touch my abdomen with her horn, numbing all the nauseating feelings I had.

"Thanks, but next time please give me a warning", I told her before Luna entered

"Ah! Little brother Azel! I was so worried when I heard of your mishap!", the smaller alicorn hugged me tight

"Yeah...I miss you too", I hugged her back

"You have to tell me everything you did in the human world Twilight told me about", she looked eager to hear about what happened in the last three days

"Maybe later", I replied before I yawned, "Looks like the coffee didn't work", I said as I headed towards my room, "If anyone needs me, tell them to fuck off...I mean buck off", I smiled

When I reached my bed, I decided to knock out all thoughts about Jeff, The Rake, Slenderman and the other creepypastas. Soon, I was sleeping like a filly.

I hardly slept for four hours when a guard knocked on my door. I tried to ignore it but the knocks became louder and louder.

"Whoever you are, fuck off! I need some sleep dammit!", I yelled as I held a pillow to both my ears.

However, that only deterred the knocking for a few seconds as it continued again

"I'll fucking fuck you up if you continue that fucking knocking!", I shouted loudly.

This time it worked as the knocking stopped completely.

"Finally!", I said before realizing that I could not sleep anymore due to some disturbance outside, "Well, fuck it!", I threw the bed sheets off as I continued cursing

"Umm...s-sire...can we enter?", I heard a guard call me

"No!", I shouted before I flew out of my room through a back door, "All because of the fucking knocking...", I muttered while flying towards the throne room.

"Hey, Tia! Could you tell the guards not to disturb me!?", I yelled before realizing that my two sisters were not present, only a few guards.

"S-Sire...I know y-you're searching for the princesses but I-I'm afraid they're gone", the guard who spoke up was probably shaken by my behavior before.

"Where?", I got uncomfortably close to the guard, "Wait, one of you get me a cup of coffee first or else I might get violent", I quickly said before the guard could reply.

I wasn't usually cranky but when I do become cranky, a cup of coffee always calmed me down.

"And the day is saved. Thanks to the Sugarpuff Joe", I began to drink the coffee which was brought sooner than expected.

"S-Sire, can I say s-something now?", the guard who woke me up asked

"Wait, I'm almost done", I replied before finishing the cup, "Ah! Nothing like a nice cup of coffee to wash away the crankiness", I savored the taste before turning to the guard, "So, what's up?"

"The princesses are missing", he replied

"Missing?", I was surprised the reply, "Maybe it's just a prank", I began to trot away

"I'm afraid it may not be a prank", the guard said, "There have been various disturbances occurring in Ponyville ever since the princesses were gone"

"Has Twilight been informed about this? She is okay right?", I asked

"Yes, sire. Princess Twilight Sparkle herself had just left to investigate the problem", the guard told me

"Well, then there's no problem, if you know what I mean", I said before transforming into a pegasus, "I suggest you keep your mouths quiet about this matter or else", I glared at everypony present before I sat on Celestia's throne, "Since you can't do this on your own, I'll guide you. Do you understand?"

"Yes sire!", they all voiced their agreement

"Good, give me every single fucking detail of stuff that's happening in the kingdom", I decided to be serious for now.

In a few minutes they gave me everything I needed to know. The Everfree Forest was invading Ponyville, the sky was split into day and night and there were spiky clouds. To my disappointment, it wasn't raining French Fries.

"So, you say my sisters just vanished?", I asked

"That is true, sire", one guard replied

"I guess I'm in charge for now", I groaned.

I spent the next hour organizing search parties and other groups to try and stop the disturbances but it only did little to deter the ever-growing chaos.

"I can't wait for Twilight anymore", I rose from my seat, "You!", I pointed to one guard

"M-Me?", the guard asked

"Yes, you. If my family and friends don't return within an hour, cast a spell to teleport me back to the castle", with that, I sped off towards the Everfree Forest.

Flying was no easy task due to the spiky clouds and other shits making it almost impossible to fly.

But by some luck, I reached Everfree Forest which looked liked a living carnivorous forest.

I transformed my mane into a saw blade to cut through anything and everything that might get in my way.

After slicing and dicing my way through countless branches, roots and plants, I still could not find any signs of Celestia, Luna or Twilight.

As I took a step through a patch of grass, I suddenly found myself falling through to an underground cavern of sorts.

"Fuck!", I cursed as I slowly got back up.

Suddenly, my ears picked up the sounds of someponies. I rushed towards the direction of the sounds before I found myself standing behind the Tree of Harmony, a tree from which my sisters got the Elements of Harmony.

"Damn! Is anypony there?", I yelled while cutting any approaching vines.

"Azel!", I could hear Twilight's voice coming from the other side

"Twilight! Are you okay?", I asked as I sliced my way towards Twilight and her friends who were being restrained by some vines.

"We..we need to get the elements to the Tree of Harmony", she told us as I began to slice the vines that held them.

"Where's Celestia? Where's Luna?", I asked her, still not seeing any signs of the two alicorns.

"We don't know, but we have a feeling that the tree's got something to do with it", Rainbow Dash replied

"Okay, I'll try to clear it for you", I said before cutting every vine in sight, giving them a clear path towards the Tree

"Let's go!", Twilight shouted before the mane six made their way towards the tree.

"Quick! Do it!", I yelled as the vines began to grab me. I would have easily taken care of them if I had more magic but I was drained after giving it to Twilight last night during the fight against Sunset Shimmer.

As the mares gave the Tree their elements back, as surge of magic emanated from the Tree, disintegrating the vines that held me. "Awesome!", I pumped my hoof up as I felt some of my magic returning to me before noticing the Tree, "Wow much shine very magic"

"Tia! Lulu!", I shouted as me and Twilight ran towards the two who were freed from their restraints.

"Azel! Twilight!", my sisters hugged both me and Twilight.

"Don't scare me like that ever again!", I grinned before I found myself being pulled back towards Canterlot, "I'll see you all in Canterlo...", I trailed off as they looked at me with surprised faces.

In a few seconds, I was back in Canterlot. On my way, I could see that everything was back to normal.

"I think I'm gonna go hurl!", I ran towards the garden as soon as I reached the throne room.

After a quick disposal of some shit, I returned to the throne room where I waited for the arrival of my sisters and the others.

They returned in a few minutes with enthusiastic looks on their faces. They told me that after I left, a flower sprouted at its roots which then bloomed to reveal a box with six locks which required six keys to open it.

"Yeah..whatever. Good job any way", I said before I went back to sleep for the whole day and night.

The dream I dreamt was a good dream. It was about eating burgers. What'd you expect?

Anyway, I woke up the next morning, feeling the most energetic I had ever felt in days.

Since I was not sure whether or not my magic had returned to its full potential, I flew to outer space (Yes, yes I did) all the while thinking about my hatred for Darchrow to give me more power.

But instead of blowing stuff up, I had a moment to think about my future

What would happen if I can't find any hate?

I knew that as long as Bane was around, things were never gonna have any happy ever afters.

One way or another, I needed to find another source of power. I could not simply rely on hatred alone.

As I got lost in my thoughts, Luna floated next to me

"Well well well. Looks like somepony actually decided not to blow something up today", Luna giggled

"I have my reasons", I smiled as she nuzzled me, "Frankly speaking, I'm not that sure of my future"

"What is there not to be sure of?", she sounded worried, "You're destined to be the ruler of a kingdom one day"

"Maybe...or maybe not", I stared at a shooting star, "I was an accident. It fucking hurts me to admit it but that's what I have always been. A volatile tube of emotions and magic that can burst at any time and become anything"

"Hey, don't talk like that", she hugged me, "Please don't say that while I'm here"

"Sorry, it's just that with so many threats around, I don't know how fucking useful I can be when I run out of hate and I am positive that day will come", I told her, "I just want to make sure I don't hurt you guys anymore"

"What are you talking about? You're no longer Insanity nor are you Hatred", she replied, "Hurting us will probably be the last thing you'd do"

"I guess you're right", I smiled before I hugged her tighter, "Can we just spend the whole day here, please? I'm not in fucking mood to meet anyone else"

"Of course, little brother", she said, "I'll inform Tia"

"Thanks", I told her

Tia soon gave us her reply and told us that she'd have no problem handling everything while the two of us were away for the day. She did make us promise to return for the Summer Sun Celebration that was happening the next day though.

After the day was over, we returned as promised to take part in the celebration.

That day was awesome as Celestia made me some burgers. Twilight Sparkle made a variant of Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom and...

Lemme stop right there

Blah...blah...the day was fun...finito!

Anyway, everyday went by for months without that much of a problem.

That was until Bane decided to interfere

#Cliffhanger

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter heheh. Don't worry; the next chap will be full of action. It may remind you of a certain movie.**

**Spoiler : Bane's invades Canterlot with his Cyling army. Brainwashed alicorn works for Bane. Another alicorn makes a difficult choice – the lives of the ponies in Canterlot or the approach of an unstoppable invasion.**


	18. Chapter 18 : Debris

**Chapter 18 : Debris**

**A/N: Hey there, readers. Thanks for your reviews...again. The next few chapters might remind you of a certain movie. Enjoy**

Things were going smoothly and without much trouble for a few months. I was spending almost every day reading some books while Twilight and her friends had their usual adventures.

Rarity had some troubles in Manehattan, Rainbow Dash impressed the Wonderbolts, Pinkie found a new friend in a pony named Cheese Sandwich, Fluttershy helped a swarm of Breezies while Applejack barely got out of trouble with some scam artists.

But the peace was only for a short while.

Bane had come back.

On the day he returned, I woke up feeling a bit cranky. I slowly but steadily made my way towards the kitchen where Celestia was waiting for me.

"Sleep well?", she asked as she took a sip out of the cup she was levitating

"I've slept better", I replied while proceeding to prepare some coffee, "I dreamt about this design of an engine or something which could be mounted onto the wing of a pegasus or alicorn", "I added, "It's been in my head ever since"

"Why don't you make it a reality to get it off your mind?", Celestia suggested

"Create something that randomly popped into my head? Never thought about that", I replied before drinking my cup of coffee

"Shining Armor and Cadance are coming over today", she told me

"Really? Well, that's great news", I continued sipping my coffee, "In that case, I think I'll take your advice and create the device I dreamt of"

"That'll be good", she finished her cup, "Oh and by the way, remember Discord?"

"That weird draconequus you told me about when we found the Tree of Harmony? Yeah, what about him?", I asked

"He was spotted near Appleloosa by some ponies. I may need to personally check up on him so I'll have to leave Canterlot under you and Luna's leadership", she replied

"Oh, you sure you'll be able to handle him alone. I mean, he is the Spirit of Disharmony after all", I placed my cup down

"Why do you think I can't handle this on my own?", she smiled

"Even though I've actually never met him, I can't help but feel some negative vibes from him", I told her worries

"Don't fret, little brother. He's reformed. He won't be any trouble at all", she placed her wing around me

"He better not", I grinned, "Anyway, if Shining and Cadance are coming over, I better get started on my own work as soon as possible so I can make time for them later", I said before I left her

I dismantled some old pony armor and bended them to match the designs I saw in my dreams. The design consisted of small boxes attached to the tip of a pegasus or alicorn's wings which could add some propulsion and could also be used as a offensive weapon at the same time.

I rummaged some gems to be used as a prism of sort, which would spread the electrical energy passing through the boxes (thrusters) and using it to ignite some volcanic coal which would be used as the primary fuel.

I was just about to test out the finished product when a guard knocked on my door.

"What is it!?", I yelled

"S-sire, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor have arrived", the guard replied before quickly galloping away.

"I'll test you later as soon as I come back", I said to the thrusters before I made my way towards the throne room.

"Hey! Shining! Cadance!", I greeted my two friends with a hug

"Good to see you again, Azel", Shining said, "So, how're you doing?"

"I'm good, what about you guys?", I asked

"We're doing well. There haven't been any major problems in our kingdom so far", Cadance replied

"Nice to hear that", I smiled before Luna entered

"Aunt Luna!", Cadance hugged her

"Cadance! Shining! What brings you here?", Luna asked

"Just a visit", Shining replied before he looked around, "Where Princess Celestia?"

"Tia's gone to Appleloosa to check up on Discord. Apparently, he was seen in that area", Luna said

"I heard he's reformed so he probably won't cause that much trouble", Shining added

"Hey, would you two like to see something I made?", I asked

"Sure, what is it?", Cadance seemed eager to see what I made

"I'll get it", I replied as I quickly dashed towards my room.

Carefully placing the thrusters on both my wings, I returned to the throne room only to find that several guards were present in the room.

"What the fuck's wrong?", I asked Luna

"Celestia's missing", she replied

"WHAT!?", I yelled

"The guards said that the residents of Applelossa last saw Princess Celestia and her chariot disappear in the nearby woods", Shining told me

"Damn it! I never should have let her go on her own", I stomped the floor in anger

"So, what should we do?", Cadance asked Luna

"I guess the best thing to do is to get a search party", Luna replied

"I'm not waiting any fucking second more", I growled before casting a teleportation spell that would get me directly to Appleloosa.

Within the blink of an eye, I reached the outskirts of the town. My first instinct was to ask the residents more about what they witnessed but I decided that whoever did this would not expect just a single pony to come to Celestia's aid.

After a few seconds of zipping here and there, I finally found the remnants of the royal chariot and two guards.

"Wake the fuck up!", I shook one of the guards before he opened his eyes

"Sire", he weakly said

"Speak! What in the fuck happened to you and Celestia?", I helped him up

"A draconequus...appeared near us...", he replied

"Discord", I muttered, "So, he's "reformed". I fucking see", I said. Trusting so called bad guys turned good have never been my attitude.

"...no...sire...the draconequus did not attack us...", the guard coughed which surprised me

"Did not attack you? What the heck do you mean?", I asked

"...the draconequus talked to Princess Celestia...she was the one who blasted the chariot, me and Blazing Wing", he added. I still had my doubts so I decided to look into his mind to see whether or not what he said was true.

"This doesn't make sense", I placed the guard in a comfortable position, "Why...why would Tia fucking do that?", I asked myself

"Blazing Wing...is he alright?", the guard asked me weakly as I went towards the other one

"He's breathing...looks like he'll be okay as soon as we get him to a hospital", no sooner than I said those words, I spotted Rainbow Dash flying above us.

"What happened!?", she yelled as she noticed the wreckage

"Something terrible", I replied before I took off the thrusters which were still attached to my wings, "Go into town and get some help. Put these on your wings, it'll help you reach your destination. Just make sure not to point it at anypony"

"Okay...but what about you, Azel? Are you hurt?", she asked, putting on the thrusters

"Nope. I'll stay with these two till help arrives. No telling what might happen especially after what just transpired", I replied before she sped into town. I could see that after a few tries, she was able to get the hang of the thrusters.

"Sire...there...there was another thing going on...", the guard said

"What?", I asked before I looked into his mind again. I saw Discord tell Celestia he was sorry before a black streak appeared on his paws. The next second, Celestia destroyed the chariot and attacked two guards.

"Bane", I whispered before I heard some faint screaming from the Appleloosa, "What the fuck is going on there?", I asked before Rainbow Dash came flying towards us, "Please tell me you didn't point the thrusters towards the houses", I mumbled

"It's...Discord! He's terrorizing Appleloosa with his illusions", she said as she landed

"I knew he was trouble", I growled before Applejack and Twilight teleported some feet away from us

"Twilight! AJ!", Rainbow Dash called them

"Rainbow Dash! Azel!", Twilight and Applejack made their way towards us

"What happened here?", Applejack asked as she saw the broken chariot and the injured guards

"It's hard to believe but my sister did this", I confessed

"What!?", the three mares shouted in shock

"Princess Celestia would never do something like this!", Twilight tried her best not to accept what I said

"See for yourself", I projected the guard's memory to her mind

"I...I don't believe it...why?", Twilight almost broke down in tears at the sight of seeing her mentor showing such brutality.

"Look Twilight, teleport these two guards back to Canterlot and tell Luna and the others about what happened", I told her before I turned to Rainbow Dash and Applejack, "In the meanwhile, the three of us will see what Discord's up to"

"What!? What is Discord doin'?", Applejack asked

"Something bad in Appleloosa", Rainbow Dash replied, "I saw him and his illusions surrounding a crowd. He seemed different though"

"Different?", I inquired

"He sounded...more...more sinister and less mischievous", Rainbow Dash recalled the chilling look on Discord's face.

"If that's the case, are you sure you'll be able to subdue him? Would you need my help?", Twilight asked

"We would but getting these two to safety is the first priority here", I pointed to the two guards, "Like I said, get them to Canterlot and tell Luna what happened. She'll tell you what to do"

"Alright. Be careful", she nodded before she teleported with the two guards.

"Rainbow Dash, you take to the skies and head for the place where you last saw Discord", I told her, "I'll be in your mind the entire time so you can just tell me what you see. Applejack and I will teleport over as soon as you give me the details"

"Roger", she flew upwards before flying towards Appleloosa

After about twenty seconds, Rainbow Dash sent a telepathic message

"Discord's making them all bow before him...wait, one pony...an old pony just stood up", Rainbow Dash whispered

"Good. Just don't let him notice you", I advised her

"What's happenin'?", Applejack asked. I could see that she wanted to know whether or not her family was okay.

"Discord's making them bow", I replied before I received another message

"Uh-oh, Discord's trying to shoot the pony...I'm going in to stop him", Rainbow Dash shouted before the link ended

"Rainbow Dash! Are you there!?", I yelled before realizing it was futile, "Dammit!", I cursed

"What's wrong? Is Rainbow Dash okay?", Applejack asked

"I dunno. Something broke the link. We better head right over asap", I told her before preparing a teleportation spell

In a split-second, we reached Appleloosa. Everypony were running in different directions while screaming loudly.

"Where's Discord?", I asked one pony

"He's behind that house, fighting with a pegasus", the pony replied

"We better help her out", I told Applejack before we headed towards the place where Rainbow Dash and Discord were.

"Take this!", I heard Rainbow Dash yell before Discord crashed through a wall.

"Rainbow Dash! You okay?", I asked the pegasus as she flew towards us

"Yeah...he tried to shoot a pony because he didn't bow before him", Rainbow Dash replied

"H-How did yeh do that? Throw him through the wall I mean", Applejack looked surprised at seeing her friend making Discord go through a wall.

"Easy, I pointed this thing at him", she showed us the thrusters I gave her.

"But...why would Discord want ponies to bow before him? Why would he want to shoot a pony for disobeying him?", I asked myself before Discord teleported behind us.

He was very different as compared to how he looked like in the guard's memory. His eyes were filled with rage and he seemed to have this murderous aura surrounding him.

"Fools! You dare trifle with the might of Discord?", Discord roared angrily

"You're not Discord!", Applejack yelled

"He's not?", I asked

"Discord's totally different from this imposter!", Rainbow Dash replied before shooting Discord with her thrusters.

"Grrr...you'll pay for that!", Discord wiped his face, "And good observation", Discord added before turning into a human shaped Cyling, "I am the Cyling General", he said in a robotic voice

"I knew that machine we found would be somethin' bad", Applejack charged at the General, knocking him down

"Just give up!", Rainbow Dash pinned him down as she pointed her thrusters at his face

After a few seconds of silence, the General yielded, "I...I give up", he said, taking all of us by surprise

"Really?", Applejack raised an eyebrow to which the General nodded

"Well, that was easy", Rainbow Dash smirked

"Too easy", I thought as I created a magical chain around the General's neck and limbs.

The next moment, a flash of light before us signaled the arrival of Twilight Sparkle.

"Who the hay is this?", Twilight asked as she arrived with Shining Armor, "Where's Discord?", she looked around

"This is the Cyling General. He was imitating Discord and was terrorizing the residents of this town", I stared uneasily at our prisoner

"Thanks to us, he won't be causing any more trouble", Rainbow Dash smirked before thumping the General's head, "Isn't that right?"

"Yes", the General muttered

"I've never seen anything like this before", Shining did not take his eyes off the strange being, "Where are you from and why did you come here?", he demanded an answer

"I am from a place beyond this realm. I was summoned by the Nightmare to cause havoc", the General replied

"Bane...I was kinda having a feeling he'd be behind this", I said before I turned to the others, "Well, we better take our prisoner back for interrogation. I have a feeling he's got something to do with Celestia's disappearance", I swore I could feel the General grin beneath his expressionless visor.

"What about all this damage?", Applejack asked

"Oh, he'll pay for it soon, won't he?", Rainbow Dash said

"He better", Twilight glared at the General, "If you did anything to Princess Celestia, there will be hay to pay"

The next second, we were teleported to Canterlot. I told Twilight and the others to go back to Ponyville lest something bad might happen while Shining and I questioned the General.

In a few minutes, the General was brought before Luna and Cadance.

"So, you're the one who caused trouble in Appleloosa", Luna said with anger, "Pray, do tell me what your intentions were"

The General remained silent

"Who do you work for?", Luna asked a different question

"Bane", The General simply replied with a slight chuckle

Everypony in the room except for me and Shining gasped.

"WHERE'S MY SISTER?", Luna yelled right in front of the General. The mere mention of the name "Bane" meant that there was probably a connection to him and Celestia's sudden disappearance.

The General remained silent

"Should I force him to talk?", Shining offered

"Shining, he's a machine. There's nothing much you can do to make him talk let alone confess", I held him back. It was no use trying to read the General's mind either. There was nothing but lights and clockwork.

"What can we do then?", Cadance sighed

"Let's lock him up until we can get some answers", Shining suggested

"Put him under chains and see to it that he doesn't escape", Luna ordered before some guards along with Shining took the General away

"It may be hard to believe but see this", I hesitated a bit before showing Cadance and Luna what Celestia did.

"That...that's not my sister!", Luna tried to deny it

"I wished I could believe that too", I said

"Why would Aunt Celestia do that?", Cadance asked

"We need to find the real Discord and ask him about it", I told them, "If we find him, we might be able to see what's wrong with Celestia", I added before teleporting towards the site where my sister was last seen

I checked the whole place for any signs of Bane's signature black fluid but there were none. Something however, caught my attention.

Rubble of stones were scattered everywhere. I examined one stone and saw a small design of some sorts. I checked another one and as I expected, this one had another design.

In a few minutes, I placed the stones together in a small pile before the stones began to rise on their own.

"What the fuck!?", I yelled as the stones began to piece together like a jigsaw puzzle, forming a stone tablet. I could clearly see what was written on the tablet

Before I could read, the words began to light up one by one as a voice emanated from the tablet

"_The Nightmare has returned with an army. If you are reading this, please tell the rulers of the land that I am doing this against my will and so is Princess Celestia although she is under a powerful mind control spell. Equestria will be in ruins if the invasion isn't stopped. Please, there is not much time left._

_Discord_

_P.S. – The Cyling General must not be let into Canterlot at all costs_"

Without hesitation, I levitated the tablet with me as I prepared the spell to teleport back to Canterlot.

If what Discord wrote was true, then we were in trouble. Big trouble.

Not only was Celestia under Bane's control, it seems like she won't be snapping out anytime soon. And also, there was the added threat of the General.

I knew I was right when I was shocked by him giving up so easily. It was just a plan to get into Canterlot.

As I was about to teleport back, a knife whizzed past me, missing me by a mere inch. I could recognize the blade. It was the weapon I hated the most : Insanity's knife.

"Drat! Missed!", Discord suddenly appeared behind with a worried look on his face.

"Discord?", I could hardly regain my composure when the knife flew towards me again, this time, it managed to cut off some strands of hair from my mane.

"Why can't I stab you!?", he said. I was able to make out from his body language that he wanted me to gallop away as soon as possible.

"Sorry, Discord. I can't just go away when you know where my sister is", I dodged the knife again

"Just go...", he pleaded as the knife returned to him, "There is nothing you can do"

The next moment, Celestia flew right behind me.

"Tia?", I looked at the white alicorn. Her mane was completely blue and so were her eyes.

"Equestria will fall before Bane. You can't stop it", she said before she shot a beam right at me.

I glanced at Discord before phasing through a tree to avoid being hit. I could see he was just as uncomfortable as I was seeing my sister attack me.

"I'm sorry...Bane made me do it", Discord sent me a telepathic message before he drove the blade through me.

"Dammit!", I yelled in pain before I pulled the knife out. For some reason whatsoever, Discord had not stabbed me deeper on purpose.

"Go", he whispered. This time I didn't hesitate.

I took one last look at Celestia before I started the spell. Tears formed in my eyes as I teleported back to Canterlot. Celestia was gone.

**A/N: Thanks for reading the 18****th**** chapter. Keep the views and reviews coming. It makes me motivated.**


	19. Chapter 19 : Omission

**Chapter 19 : One-X**

**A/N : Whoa, thanks for the near 200 reviews. You guys are the greatest. Please do take the time to read this one too**

I slumped right in front of Luna who immediately began to heal me as soon as she saw me. Using my teleportation skill after being stabbed had drained most of my energy and magic.

"Azel! Talk to me please!", Luna pleaded as the healing process finished

"I'm alright", I groggily stood up while two guards helped me

"No, you're not. Who did this to you?", she asked. She must have thought she might lose her two siblings in one day.

"Discord...", Luna gritted her teeth in anger at that name, "...and Celestia", I glumly added. I still could not believe that my own sister, the one who helped me get rid of my past demons would attack me.

"Is this true?", she asked in shock

"Yup. She tried to kill me", I replied, "According to Discord, someone, maybe Bane brainwashed Celestia with his help. He himself was made to this against his will though"

"Bane brainwashed Tia? Discord working for him? This is wrong. This is so wrong", Luna said

"Are you sure you're alright?", Cadance looked at me with concern

"Aside from a little cut, I'm okay", I smiled before I noticed Shining was absent, "Oh crap! Shining's not with the General is he?"

"Yes he is...why?", Luna asked

I did not answer. Instead I sped off towards the cell where the General was supposed to have been taken to.

To my relief, Shining was okay and was watching the General's every move.

"Hey, you're back. So did you find anything?", he asked me. He must've not been informed of the wound I suffered from Insanity's knife.

"Yeah...it seems like Discord was forced to help someone brainwash my sister", I replied,

"Really? Are you sure he isn't tricking you or anything?", he did not seem to believe half of what I said

"I'm fucking sure he isn't", I told him. After seeing him try his best to make me escape, Discord probably wanted me to warn the others of Bane's invasion.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't get anything out of this tin can", he glared at The General.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Discord gave me a warning saying that the General should not be let inside Canterlot at all costs", I told Shining the post-script of Discord's warning.

"Don't worry; we've restrained him with special magic. He won't do anything unless we let him", Shining replied confidently

"Okay...just be careful and don't let him out of your fucking sight", I gave him one last advice before I left for the throne room.

As I reached the room, I could see that Twilight and her friends had all arrived under Luna's summons.

"Oh good, you're all here", I said before they greeted me

"Is it true? D-Did Discord harm you?", Fluttershy asked

"Yes, but he looked like he had no choice. He didn't harm me that much though", I replied.

"I still can't believe that Princess Celestia attacked you", Twilight said

"There's probably a good explanation for that", Cadance said

"Yeah, Cadance's right. Celestia looked like she's been possessed or something", I told them about what I saw

"That must be the reason. Even my sister is susceptible to powerful magic", Luna added

"Why Celestia? Why her?", I asked myself before I turned to the others, "I guess this is Bane's way of getting his revenge at me"

"Revenge? For what?", Pinkie asked

"For helping Twilight and her friends in the human world in defeating Sunset Shimmer and thus preventing Bane from ruling Equestria", I replied

"I can believe Discord's assault though", Rainbow Dash seemed angry at hearing what Discord did

"What makes yeh think that?", Applejack asked her

"I have to agree with Rainbow Dash on this, darling", Rarity added, "Discord's after all the embodiment of chaos. There's no telling what he might do"

"No, Discord's our friend. W-We can't just accuse him of being bad again", Fluttershy tried to defend the draconequus

"Look, I know it may be hard to swallow but I have to disagree", Luna intervened, "Your friend's right. We don't know what he might do"

"Discord's probably doin' this because he's forced to do it, right Azel?", Applejack turned to me

"I kinda believe he may have been telling the truth", I replied

"See! Azel's the one who witnessed it. He too believes Discord's not doing on his own will", Applejack felt like she won the argument

"But, what if Discord tricked Azel? What if it was all just an elaborate plan?", Twilight asked

"He's reformed. There's no way he would dare betray us", Applejack disagreed

"I think he may have been fooling us ever since we gave the Elements back to the Tree of Harmony", Luna said

"Princess Luna's right. Maybe he was just waiting for the right time to attack", Rainbow Dash continued to argue

As the others were arguing, Cadance decided to ask me something

"Aunt Celestia's not harmed in any way, is she?", Cadance asked

"Yep. At worst, she's just brainwashed", I tried not to make the situation more uncomfortable to her

"That's a relief", Cadance said, "So, is Shining still with the prisoner?"

"He sure is. I think you better go and check him out", I told her before noticing the others were still arguing about one thing or the other, "Damn. What the fuck is wrong with them?", I muttered while Cadance headed towards the cell where the General was held

The next moment, I felt magic building inside me. At first, it was negligible but as it grew and grew; I could not help but take notice of it.

"Just because you're smart doesn't mean yer right", Applejack growled at Twilight

"Hey! Don't talk that way!", Rarity defended Twilight

"Why not? She has the freedom to voice her opinion!", Fluttershy said

"Mares...I'll never understand them", Spike sighed as he stood next to me

"Touché!", I smiled before a burning sensation covered my entire body, "Not again!", I mumbled as I clutched myself. Something was returning. Something which I wished never existed inside me.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

In a matter of seconds, Cadance reached the cell where The General was kept.

"Cadance, what are you doing here?", Shining seemed surprised at seeing her wife suddenly show up

"I just wanted to check up on you" Cadance replied before she stared at the General, "So, has he said anything yet?"

"Nope", Shining said, "He keeps saying he's not programmed to answer the questions I ask"

"Well, it seems like he's not going to do anything so could we go back to the throne room now?", Cadance asked

"I guess we can", Shining began to leave the General's cell

"Princess of Love", the General's robotic voice caught the attention of the couple, "Can love truly trump hatred?", a grin came on his non-existent face

"What do you mean, prisoner?", Shining glared at the cyborg.

"Let me ask you two a question for a change", the General stood up, "Tell me, what is the one thing that brings the worst out of any being? What is the one thing that can erupt like a volcano when it is near conflict?"

"Hatred?", Cadance asked

"What's that got to do with anything?", Shining pointed his horn at his prisoner

"She knows the answer", The General replied

"Oh no!", Cadance held her hoof to her mouth, "Azel!", she told her husband before she rushed back, Shining Armor close behind her

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

"What's the matter? Indigestion?" Spike asked me, concerned

I didn't answer. I merely continued to clutch myself tightly as the burning sensation increased. In a matter of seconds, it felt like I was engulfed by fire at all sides.

"CRAP!", I yelled as spikes grew on my back.

"Azel! Wha-What's the matter?", Twilight approached me

"Get back!", I warned them before I lashed out at the nearest guard, sending him flying across the room.

"We're too late!", Cadance gulped as she and Shining reached the room

"He's back", Shining mumbled as he watched me transform back into Hatred, the blue changeling with crimson eyes and spikes growing on his back.

The next second, I found myself being surrounded by some guards who were a bit reluctant to attack me.

"You hesitate? Big fucking mistake!", I growled before I knocked them all out in the blink of an eye.

"Azel! Stop it!", Luna pleaded as she stood between me and the other ponies in the room

"...Dammit!", I transformed back into my normal self for a few seconds before I began to change back to Hatred

"I swear. I'll try to the very last breath of my life to help you", Luna tried to approach me

"Your life!?", I yelled at her before phasing and tackling Twilight and her friends who were standing behind her.

"Azel! Please, this is not who yeh are!", Applejack grab my front hoof as I tried to attack Luna

"How do you know!?", I roared, picking her up and throwing her at Luna.

"That's it!", Shining growled before he rammed into me, making me crash through a wall.

"You dare attack me!?", I started to charge a beam on my horn, "PERISH!", I screamed as I shot a wide red beam at Shining.

That attack would have killed Shining in an instant had it not been for a shield created by Twilight and Cadance

"What's wrong with him? I thought Hatred was gone forever", Twilight asked Cadance

"I'm afraid the General did something to him that made him easily turn into Hatred due to you and the other's arguing", Cadance replied

"Look out!", Shining shouted as he knocked the two alicorns out of my way

"You can't escape your obliteration!", I yelled as I tried to impale Shining who barely dodged it in time.

I decided to shift my attention to Luna who was helping the other ponies in the throne room.

"S-Stop it, please", Fluttershy timidly said

"No use pleading to a Beast", I growled as I shot a red laser at Luna who deflected it with a shield.

"We need a plan", Rarity told Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, like a plan will stop a rage filled unstoppable being like him", Rainbow Dash scoffed at the idea of having a plan at a time like this.

Suddenly, a black beam from above blasted me, covering the entire room with smoke. The blast was a powerful one. It almost knocked me out cold and it managed to drain all magic that I had inside me.

Thanks to that attack, Hatred was gone and I was back however, I had no magic left at all.

"Who...Who did that?", Luna asked as she stared at the hole in the ceiling

"I was afraid I had to resort to that", a loud voice said as a familiar alicorn floated downwards.

"Grandfather?! What are you doing here?", Luna eyes widened in shock

"Darchrow?", I weakly asked

"Why did you attack Azel?", Luna asked again as the alicorn's hooves touched the floor

"Hatred was forced out of him. That should've never happened", Darchrow replied as he helped me up, "I'm sorry, little Azel. If I had let that pass, I'm afraid I would have to make a much bigger sacrifice"

"It's okay", I coughed before I stood up, "What bigger sacrifice?", I asked him

"I would have to summon a giant asteroid to desolate Canterlot", he sighed before his magic enveloped me, "I'll give you some strength back, you'll need it for what's coming", he added before he began to fade

"Darchrow! Wait!", I tried to hold him but he merely faded into nothing. His job was done; my magic, though not fully recharged was back and so was my strength.

"Desolate Canterlot?", Twilight realized how close they were to oblivion

"It's a good thing he showed up", I said before I looked at the carnage I caused, "It's a really good thing", I added

"Who the fuck was that?", Pinkie asked

"That was Darchrow, our grandfather and a fundamental", Luna replied

"A fundamental?" Rarity looked puzzled

"A fundamental's a being that help balances a universe", I told her before I turned to Luna, "Sorry for the brief Hatred moment", I smiled sheepishly

"It's all over for now so don't worry", she assured me.

The next moment, the side of the throne room was completely destroyed by a pink beam. As everypony scurried away, the dust cleared to reveal a white alicorn.

"Bane will have Equestria", Celestia announced before shooting another beam at a wall, destroying it.

"Well, guess I believe you now", Twilight stared at Celestia who destroyed wall after wall.

"Where's she heading for?", Shining asked

"The General", Cadance and I said in unison.

"I'll try to stall her", Luna reluctantly offered before she teleported in front of her sister, "Sister! Stop this madness!"

"Bane will get what he wants!", Celestia shouted as she pinned Luna down with her magic, "All who oppose him will be destroyed!", she began to charge some magic.

"Princess Celestia! No!", Twilight screamed before she blinded Celestia for a few seconds with an illumination spell.

"I'll try to restrain her", Shining said as he galloped towards the three alicorns.

"I'm sorry, sister", Luna cried before shooting Celestia at point blank range. However, to her and the others' surprise, the blast was absorbed by Celestia's Counter Beam which Luna barely avoided.

"Princess...snap out of it!", Shining grunted as he prevented Celestia from moving her hooves.

"How dare you!", Celestia growled before she began to charge magic in her horn.

"Oh no you don't", Twilight used her magic to tilt Celestia's head away from her brother, making the white alicorn blast a hole through the ceiling.

"Twily, do you think you can hold her head in one place?", Shining asked, still not releasing his magical hold

"I think I can", Twilight began to sweat at the effort.

"I'll lend you a hoof", a teary eyed Luna said before helping Shining and Twilight keep her sister in place, preventing her from moving at all.

"Azel, can't you read her mind or something?", Cadance asked

"I can but I keep getting fucking blanks. If only I had more magic, I might have been able to fix her mind", I was shooting myself in the inside for being too weak to do anything useful.

"Bane...shall not be...DENIED!", Celestia screamed before breaking out of her magical hold, "Equestria will be his", she added as she shot a beam in the direction of the cell where the General was kept.

"Cadance, come on. The General might escape", I grabbed her hoof before she teleported the two of us towards the cell.

"I'm gonna go over there and hurl", I told her as we reached our destination.

"Umm...okay", she said, watching me throw up inside a trash can.

"Man, I fuckin' wish this motion sickness shit ends soon", I groaned before noticing the General was out of his cell.

"Don't you dare try to escape", Cadance prepared to attack him

"Who's going to stop me? You?", the General smirked as he shot an electric gauntlet at Cadance who barely avoided it.

"You ain't leaving", I latched onto him, trying my best not to let him leave his cell.

"Pathetic", he growled as he threw me across. However, somehow, I managed to land on my hooves. "You see, I was the reason you turned into Hatred a few minutes before", he chuckled

"You what?", I asked

"If things had gone according to plan, you would have destroyed the castle, leaving the residents vulnerable to your sister's assault until there was no more resistance for Bane", he added, "But then, that fundamental just had to interfere"

"Too bad your plan didn't work out as planned", I retorted

"Hatred's rampage wasn't a major set piece, it was merely a distraction", he laughed like a maniac, "By now, Discord would have gotten his hands on the Tree of Harmony chest"

"Discord? What has he got to do with all this?", Cadance asked

"It took some time but Bane managed to blackmail him into brainwashing Celestia. He might act against his will but he will not dare betray us", the General replied

"You son of a bitch!", I growled before charging right at him.

"You're too predictable, Azel", the General smirked as he kicked me away to the other side of the cell.

"Azel! No!", Cadance tried to rush towards me but she stopped in her tracks when she saw the General holding a sword near me.

"One more step and he dies", the General smirked

"Cadance, don't let him escape. If he does, who knows what fuckin' shit he might do", I told Cadance. The General was a lot more powerful than I anticipated. And with his knees right on top of me, there was no way I could move at all.

"What's it gonna be? My freedom or his death?", the General lifted his sword up.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Cadance backed down.

"Fuck!", I cursed as I realized the battle was lost.

"Good choice", the General proceeded to throw me against a wall, "You should've finished me in Appleloosa", he jeered me before pointing a finger at me, "Too bad Bane wanted you dead more than everything else, including my own freedom"

A blue ball of energy pulsed from the finger.

"I guess I can risk my own death for this", he smirked as he prepared to shoot.

"Nooo!", Cadance screamed as she flew in front of me.

"CADANCE!", I shouted as I tried to push her away.

It was too late. The beam hit her at point blank range and she fell to the ground motionless.

"Cadance...", my eyes widened at the shock of seeing my friend's fallen body.

"Looks like you live for now", the General said before he prepared to escape, "Next time, you won't be so lucky", he added

"Get back here you motherfucker!", I yelled as I tried to stop him but he managed to fly out before I could grab him.

"What happened!?", Shining shouted as he entered the cell, "Oh no...", his voice trailed off as he saw Cadance, "No no no", he could see that she was slowly dying

"This isn't happening! This isn't fucking happening!", I banged my head against a wall

"Azel...who...who did this?", Shining asked me as he tried his best to heal her. To his dismay, he couldn't.

"The General", I glumly replied as I stood next to him

"S..Shining...Azel", Cadance barely managed to open her eyes.

"Please don't leave me...please", Shining cried as he held her in his hooves.

"I...I love you...", Cadance whispered with her last breath.

I fell flat on the floor crying my eyes out. I had lost a friend. First it was Celestia, now Cadance. It felt like everypony I ever cared for were slowly being taken away from me.

"Please...wake up...", Shining began to shake his wife out of despair.

"She's gone", I did not even dare to look at her

"No...she's not...you're not dead", Shining tried to think it was the contrary

I slowly stood up as I noticed some guards approaching the cell. I figured it was best to let Luna know about this first.

"Sire, Princess Celestia has escaped", one of them reported. I blocked their view of Shining and Cadance so they could not see the two.

"Get Luna over here", I told them as I wiped a tear off my face.

"Sire...what's the matter?", one guard asked

"Cadance", I replied

"Princess Cadance? What's wrong with her?", another asked

After some seconds of silence, I took a deep breath before I gave them my reply.

"She's dead"

**A/N : This one a bit tragic than the others. Don't worry; there'll be a happy ending to this arc. Stay tuned for more.**


	20. Chapter 20 : With You

**Chapter 20 : With You**

**A/N : Well, welcome to the 20****th**** chapter of this fanfic. Thanks for all the reviews you gave. Please give this one a read too.**

Everypony was crying.

A friend, a family member, a princess was dead. Shining and I were the two ponies who took it the hardest. As everypony just stood there in silence, I was beating myself on the inside for being too weak to save her. If only I had the Dragonballs in my grasp...wait...that's another franchise.

Twilight tried to comfort her brother but he wasn't having any of it. He was still crying his eyes out as he did not dare to let go of his wife, my childhood friend.

Two princesses lost in the space of a few hours. It was probably one of the darkest days in Equestria's history.

"It's all my fault", I gazed at Cadance's lifeless body, "I couldn't fucking protect her"

"Please don't say that", Luna placed a wing around me, "Nopony knew the General was going to do that"

"Azel...please...let's not blame ourselves for this", Shining told me, his eyes still fixed on Cadance's. He was probably wishing that her eyes would open again.

"It's my fault dammit!", I yelled.

"Isn't there anyway of fixing all of this?", Twilight asked

"I'm afraid death is irreversible", Luna replied

In a flash of darkness, Darchrow returned, this time with a scowl on his face.

"I hope this incident never happens again", the majestic alicorn glanced at Cadance

"Can't you do anything?", Luna asked, hoping for a "yes"

"I'm sorry, Luna. I can't give life", Darchrow replied before he turned to the mane six, "I suggest you work together now again instead of against each other or else her death may become pointless"

"We're sorry we got into such an useless argument", Twilight and her friends lowered their heads in shame.

"Luna, I can't risk you being killed so I suggest you join me in a sanctuary high above the blue sky", Darchrow told Luna

"What? Why? I can handle myself around here", Luna did not want to leave her friends behind

"Go", I told her

"Azel...", she turned towards me

"Go. I won't be able to forgive myself if any fucking thing happened to you", I replied

"We'll observe everything from the sanctuary and act accordingly", Darchrow said as Luna reluctantly stood near him, "I believe there's a room for you and your alicorn wife", Darchrow told Shining

"Shining", I placed a hoof around him, "Take Cadance with you and go with my grandfather. I don't want to see what happened before happen again"

"Promise me one thing", he turned to me, "Promise me that you'll do to the General what he did to her"

"That's a promise I can make", I said as I watched him carry Cadance.

"Take care of Twily for me", Shining gave me one last request before he and the three alicorns disappeared from sight.

"Sure will", I bowed

"So, what's the plan?", Twilight asked

"I guess we'll have to wing it", I replied as I teleported all of us out of the castle.

Outside, we could see that Celestia was still in the castle although she was actually on a balcony with the Tree of Harmony chest.

"What's Princess Celestia doing?", Spike asked before Discord joined her

"The invasion begins!", Celestia voice boomed as she and Discord began to transfer their magic to the chest. The next moment, a blue beam of light shot from the chest into the sky, opening a huge portal high above the castle.

"Can we party?", Pinkie asked

"Not now, Pinkie", Applejack replied

"This is bad. This is fucking bad", I said to myself before I turned to a guard, "Get everypony out of Canterlot. Tell all the guards to evacuate and help all the residents reach at least one mile away from here"

"Yes sire!", the guard saluted me but he suddenly realized, "Sire, what about you?"

"We're be the first line of defense", I replied, "If things go terribly wrong, go and rally all the allies we have and try to clean up this shit"

"Okay", the guard saluted me again before he galloped away

"Do you think we'll be able to stop the invasion?", Twilight asked

"I've never backed down from any challenge. I don't know if we can stop it or not, we'll just have to find out", I replied before Discord suddenly teleported next to us.

"Discord!", we all looked at the draconequus

"I'm sorry it had to come to this", Discord lowered his head, "I'm sorry but I had no choice"

"You expect us to believe that?", Rainbow Dash growled

"Shhh..let's hear what he has to say", Applejack hushed her

"Explain yourself. Why the fuck did you brainwash Celestia?", I asked

"My father made me do it", Discord replied

"What!? Bane's your father?", Twilight, like the others was shock by the answer.

"Yes, in a sense. He was the one who made me", Discord added, "He told me that if I didn't help him open that portal, he would never call me his son again"

"That's all? Yeh helped Bane just so yeh could still call him "daddy"?", Applejack yelled

"You don't understand...he's the only family I've got", Discord replied

"He does have a point", I said, "So, Discord, do you know how we can stop the invasion?", I asked

"Father never told me anything but he did talk to Celestia a lot. I have a hunch she might know something", he answered, "But I doubt that unless you can remove the spell, she won't say anything"

"That's a really bad problem", Rarity commented

"I'll be leaving you guys now. I hope you can forgive me, especially you, Fluttershy", Discord snapped his digits and disappeared from sight

"Now that we've got some pieces now, we can have a plan at last", I told the mares

"Can we please party now?", Pinkie asked

"Not now", Applejack replied

"Twilight, since you're the one with the most magic here, I suggest you try to get Celestia back to her old self", I told Twilight

"But...do you think you can do it?", Twilight asked

"I know you can, just knock her out or something. I'm positive it'll work", I replied

"Things are easier said than done", Twilight said

"Whatever. Just go", I pointed to my sister who was still at the balcony, using her magic to keep the portal steady.

The next second, hundreds of cylings began to fly down towards Canterlot.

"This is it!", I shouted as we took up fighting stances, "Good luck", I told Twilight as she flew towards Celestia.

"Sire, we've finished evacuatin...oh my Celestia! What's happening?", the guard noticed the cylings

"The invasion's starting", I replied, "We'll be able to hold our own. You and the other guards should make yourselves scarce"

"But sire...what about you and the others?", the guard wanted to fight alongside us.

"That's an order", I yelled. The guard merely bowed before leaving.

"Rainbow Dash, you still got the thrusters I gave you?", I asked the blue pegasus

"Yeah...why?", she asked

"Put 'em on. Point it every single cyling you see", I told her before I turned to Rarity, "Rarity, I know you've got great precision so I suggest you use your magic to throw these right into the eyes of the cylings", I gave her a bag of sharp gems.

After studying the anatomy of the cyling we found long ago, I noticed that there was a self-destruct button of sorts behind the eyes. It would've been hard for any other pony to precisely hit the target but Rarity had awesome accuracy so she would be able to hit it with no sweat.

"Applejack, you're probably best in hoof to hoof combat so just kick the fuck out of every cyling you see", I was confident in her skills

"Will do", she tipped her hat

"Fluttershy, do you think you'll be able to destroy a cyling?", I asked the pegasus

"I-I don't like to harm anypony", Fluttershy replied

"Even mindless machines?", I asked again to which she nodded, "I was kinda afraid of that", I said before I turned to the others, "So, tell me, what do all machines have?"

"Uhh..an off button?", Spike answered

"Good answer", I patted Spike, "The cylings have an off button on their foreheads so just press that", I told Fluttershy

"What about me?", Pinkie asked

"Well, now would be a good time to use that party cannon", I smiled before turning to Spike, "Spike, the gems I gave to Rarity have a short fuse to make them combust so stick with her and light 'em up"

"Sure thing, Azel", he said before glancing at Rarity, "Guess we'll have to...um...work as a team heheh"

"Yeah...right", Rarity looked awkwardly at the dragon.

"Oh crap, there he is", I glared at the General who had just entered the castle, "The General's back", I told the others

"Go get him. We'll be able to handle the cylings", Rainbow Dash smirked

"Okay, be careful though", I said before I flew towards the castle. I had half of my magic left so I would probably be able to hold my own against the General this time.

In a matter of seconds, I reached the kitchen where the General was. I decided against bursting in and fighting with him at an instant so I calmly flew inside, trying my best not to let my hoof connect with his head.

"Please tell me you're not trying to negotiate", the General smirked as I poured a cup of coffee

"Uh...actually, I'm planning to threaten you", I replied as I held the cup

"You should have some allies for that", he said

"Yeah. You've got the knife of Insanity's destiny. Would you like a drink?", I finished the coffee. He was carrying the knife on a belt around his waist.

"Stalling me won't change anything", he began to pace around me

"No no no! Threatening", I said before I levitated a cup near him, "No drink? You sure?"

"The Cylings are coming, nothing will change that. What have I to fear?", The General chuckled

"The Elements of Harmony", I replied as I threw the cup away, "It's what Twilight and the others call themselves, sort of like a team. "Equestria's Mightest Heroes" type of thing"

"Yes, I've met them", the General removed his helmet.

"Bane?", I thought as the maniacal grin on the purple eyeless face revealed itself.

"What's the matter? Scared?", Bane laughed again, "Do you really think you can stop the invasion?"

"Yup", I smiled, "Yeah, you may have kinda tried to ruin everything. But let's do a head count here. A powerful alicorn who's furious at seeing her dead sister-in-law, a rainbow-maned pegasus with devices that could burn your fucking face, an animal whisperer who can stare you to death, a party loving pony who you can't possible kill, a farmer who could kick you to the moon after turning you into a can of meat, a unicorn that can probably shut that silly grin up with a needle and you, you've managed to piss off every single one of them"

"That was the plan", Bane grinned

"Not a great plan", I replied, "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you"

"I have an army", he retorted

"We have a Pinkie "Fucking" Pie", I noticed his movements. In a matter of seconds, I knew he was gonna attack me.

"You will all fall before me", he growled before he proceeded to throw me through the ceiling

"And there's one other pony you pissed off!", I yelled as I dive-bombed right at him, "Her name was Cadance!"

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

Azel landed on the floor with a thud and saw that Bane had disappeared. "Damn!", he said as he decided to return to the others.

_On the other side of the castle_

"Princess Celestia! Stop it!", Twilight Sparkle screamed as she tackled her mentor. She could see that the chest was draining her magic.

"It's no use stopping it now", Celestia replied. She had used up most of her magic in opening the portal

"I'm sorry!", Twilight cried as she shot the mare with a beam, knocking her out, "I'm sorry", she began to cry as she hugged her fallen mentor.

Fortunately, she was still breathing so the lavender alicorn decided to return to her friends.

_At the town square_

"Come on! Yeh robots are no match fer us", Applejack yelled as she kicked the heads off of some cylings

"Sorry...sorry...sorry", Fluttershy timidly said as she turned each cyling that approached off.

"How'd you like that?", Rainbow Dash smirked, using her thrusters to blast some cylings.

"Okay, Spike darling, light these up", Rarity handed Spike some gems

"Sure thing", Spike lit the fuses before handing them to Rarity who used her magic to drive them through the eyes of some cylings, making them violently explode

"Look out!", Rainbow Dash shouted as some cylings flew above them before letting loose a barrage of lasers.

"Get away from my friends!", Twilight teleported near her friends and covered them with a shield which deflected the shots.

"Pinkie! Don't just stand there, do something!", Rainbow Dash yelled

"Not yet", Pinkie gave them a huge smile

The next second, a red beam of magic blasted the cylings away.

"I leave you for two minutes and this happens", Azel joked as he joined the mane six

"Azel! So, what did you do to the General?", Spike asked

"The General was actually Bane. Don't worry I've made him run away for now", Azel smirked before he turned to Twilight, "So, what did you do to my sister?"

"The chest was draining her magic, I had no choice but to knock her out before it all of it", Twilight replied sadly

"I understand that. Good choice", Azel patted the alicorn

"What the hay is that?", Applejack pointed to a huge snake like machine which was flying towards them.

"Looks like a carrier or something", Rarity guessed as she saw some cylings fly out of the thing.

Everypony began to back away except for Pinkie.

"Uhh...Pinkie, what are you doing?", Fluttershy asked

"Azel, can we please have the party now?", she made puppy eyes

"Okay. Whatever", Azel replied

"Woo-hoo!", Pinkie squealed before she took her party cannon and shot it right at the carrier which was approaching the others. The blast caused the carrier to explode seconds after impact which made the others stare at Pinkie in shock.

"What the actual fuck?", Azel smiled, "Damn, that was unexpected as heck"

"Looks like more and more cylings are approaching", Twilight noticed a huge wave approaching from the portal

"What's the new plan, Azel?", Rainbow Dash asked

"Okay, Rarity, you and Spike make your way up that tower and destroy any cylings that fly past you guys", Azel replied before Azel turned to Rainbow Dash, "Dash, you make sure that no cylings exit Canterlot at any costs. You either turn it back or turn it to ash"

"Awesome!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"Darling, we may need a lift", Rarity told her

"Sure thing, Rarity", Rainbow Dash replied before holding Rarity and Spike and flying with them towards a tower.

"Twilight, you fly near the portal and use your magic to destroy as many cylings as you can so we can thin the herd a bit", Azel said

"Alright", Twilight nodded before flying towards the portal

"Applejack, Fluttershy, the three of us will stand our grounds and keep the fighting here", Azel told the two mares near him

"What about me?", Pinkie asked

"Oh, almost forgot", Azel turned to the pink earth pony, "Pinkie...Party!"

"Oki doki loki!", Pinkie giggled before galloping towards a crowd of cylings and using her party cannons to blast through every robot in sight.

"Shit! Look out!", Azel yelled as he pushed Fluttershy out of the way, dodging a laser from a cyling behind them.

"I've got 'im", Applejack said before kicking the cyling towards a bunch of other cylings, making them explode.

"T-This is so terrible", Fluttershy held a hoof to her mouth while using the other to shut down a cyling. She had never seen so much carnage in her life.

Half of Canterlot was burning due to the invasion and there were remains of cylings almost everywhere. Buildings were demolished and stores were destroyed. To say the least, it looked like a warzone.

"Azel, how are we going to be able to communicate with the others?", Applejack asked

"I've linked my mind to each one of them before they left. Don't worry, if things go wrong, we can regroup in a matter of seconds", Azel replied before impaling a bunch of cylings with his horn which was transformed into a long lance.

High above the castle, Twilight Sparkle charged her magic before shooting a lightning bolt-like beam to destroy some carriers before they were able to pass through.

"Azel, they keep on coming and coming no matter what we do", Twilight sent a message to Azel

"We'll think of something. Just keep on doing what you're doing", Azel told her

"Umm...Azel..", Fluttershy timidly went closer to the white unicorn

"What is it?", Azel asked as he avoided a laser

"None of this is going to matter unless we close the portal", Fluttershy replied

"I tried to shoot the chest but it's impenetrable", Azel told the pegasus

"Maybe we need to get closer", she suggested

"Hmmm...not a bad idea", Azel scratched his head, "You go and try to close it"

"M-Me?", Fluttershy was shocked at the reply

"Yes...we'll give you cover if you need it", Azel assured her

"O-Okay", Fluttershy said before making her way towards the chest.

_Somewhere, in the Sanctuary of Darchrow_

"This is terrible, you must allow me to help them", Luna pleaded with her grandfather

"I'm sorry, little Luna but I can't let you risk your life", Darchrow replied

"What can we do then?", Shining asked. He had not left his wife's side ever since she died

"I may have to make the sacrifice after all", Darchrow lowered his head

"What!? Are you serious?", Luna asked in shock

"I'll wait for a few more minutes. If they can't close the portal by then, I'm afraid I'll have to strike Canterlot with an asteroid", Darchrow said

"Hold on there. You can't just order an asteroid to strike a civilian population", Shining pleaded

"If I don't, we lose everything", Darchrow replied

"If you do, we already have", Luna growled back

_A few blocks near the castle_

"O-Oh dear", Fluttershy exclaimed as she accidentally grabbed hold of a flying cyling.

"GGGRRRRR", the machine growled before it was shut down

"I'm terribly sorry", Fluttershy apologized before she noticed Bane flying past her, "Errr...Azel?", she contacted the unicorn

"What's wrong, Fluttershy?", Azel asked

"I just saw Bane fly past me", Fluttershy replied

"Good eyes. I'll alert Spike and Rarity. They're probably in that area", Azel broke the contact before alerting Rarity, "Rarity, you there?"

_On top of a tower near the castle_

"I'm hearing you loud and clear", Rarity answered as she shot a cyling down with her gem

"Bane's flying your way, watch out for him", Azel said

"What did he say?", Spike asked

"Bane was spotted nearby", Rarity replied

"There he is!", Spike pointed to the Nightmare

"Light this up for me please", Rarity handed the dragon a gem who lit the fuse.

The next second, Rarity shot the gem towards Bane who managed to catch it before it hit him. However, the gem exploded right at his face, causing him to fly uncontrollably towards the castle.

_At the west side of Canterlot_

Twilight landed right on top of a carrier before continuing to shoot some cylings who came close to her. Pinkie soon joined her with her party cannon.

With the help of her cannon, Pinkie destroyed the carrier in one blow while accidentally shooting Twilight in the process.

"Pinkie!", Twilight yelled as she got back up

"Oopsy", Pinkie giggled before she noticed Bane crashing towards the castle, "Ooooo...my turn! my turn!", she shouted as she hopped towards Twilight

"What is it now?", Twilight groaned

"The castle! The castle!", Pinkie smiled while still bouncing around

"Err...okay", Twilight began to teleport Pinkie to the castle

In a matter of seconds, Pinkie arrived at kitchen where Bane was present. Due to the impact of the exploding gem, Bane barely managed to regain his composure.

"Who are you supposed to be?", Bane grinned at the new arrival

"Hi! I'm Pinkie!", the pink earth pony smiled before blasting the Nightmare at point blank range with her party cannon

**A/N : And that is it for the 20****th**** Chapter of this fanfic. Thanks for the support and the reviews.**

**Here's a review of the previous chapters :**

**11. Azel helps Fluttershy – Meets Rarity – pranks Blueblood with her**

**12. Azel meets Sunset Shimmer – Spends the day with Twilight and her friends – Finally gets accepted at a party**

**13. Azel gets transported to human world – meets the Dazzlings and Chris – meets Twilight and Spike at a school – notices something odd about Sunset Shimmer**

**14. Azel meets Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Rarity – Realizes the only way back is with Twilight's crown - Spends night in library with Twilight and Spike**

**15. Azel begins to have doubts about Sunset Shimmer – meets Flash Sentry – Twilight and the others manage to get everyone back together – Fall Formal almost postponed but with some help, it's back again**

**16. Twilight wins the crown – Sunset Shimmer steals it and uses its powers – Twilight and her friends use its powers to stop Sunset Shimmer – Azel realizes Bane was behind everything – returns to Equestria**

**17. Celestia and Luna disappear – Chaos everywhere – Twilight and friends give up their Elements to save Equestria – the two sisters return**

**18. Bane and Discord brainwash Celestia – Cyling General appears – is captured – Discord gives them a warning about Bane's plans**

**19. The General unleashes Hatred – Darchrow manages to get Azel back to his old self – Celestia helps the General escape – the General kills Cadance**

**20. Celestia and Discord open a portal – Cyling invasion starts – Azel makes plans to stop the invasion – finds out the General is Bane**

**Spoiler Alert : Tirek is coming to get ya**


	21. Chapter 21 : Guns

**Chapter 21 : Guns**

**A/N : Hey there. Thanks for the reads and the reviews. Hope you'll enjoy this one too. BTW, noticed what I did with the title?**

The impact from Pinkie's party cannon caused Bane to fly backwards and land right on top of a table.

"Enough!", Bane yelled at Pinkie. He was obviously pissed off due to being assaulted so much within the last few minutes. "You are...all of you are beneath me!", his grin disappeared, "I am the Nightmare, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by..."

Bane was interrupted by another blast from Pinkie's cannon which knocked him out this time.

"Puny nightmare", Pinkie giggled as she left the kitchen.

_At a nearby balcony_

Fluttershy had somehow managed to avoid the flying cylings and their lasers and had safely reached the Tree of Harmony chest. As she wondered what she should do, her eyes darted towards Celestia, who was slowly waking up.

"Princess!", Fluttershy helped the alicorn up

"Bane's powers...the dark magic...the Tree of Harmony chest...", Fluttershy could see that the princess had lost the blue coloration in her mane and eyes, indicating that she was no longer under Bane's control, "You can't protect against yourself"

"It's not your fault", Fluttershy consoled her, "You didn't know what you were doing and what you were told"

"Well, actually I think I did", Celestia tried to stand but she did not have the strength to do so, "Contact my brother for me, please", she asked

"O-Okay", Fluttershy nodded before she linked her thoughts with Azel's, "A-Azel?", she asked

"What is it, Fluttershy? Did you reach the chest?", Azel inquired

"Y-Yes, I did. Princess Celestia is back to her old self again", Fluttershy said

"That's awesome news", Azel was relieved to hear that Twilight had managed to knock Bane's spell out of his sister.

"She wants to tell you something", Fluttershy continued

"Tell him that the only thing that can stop the chest from keeping the portal open is an artifact that can absorb large amounts of magic", Celestia recalled what Bane had said before

Fluttershy repeated what Celestia told her and to her surprise, Azel sounded like he was really confident about this.

"That's even awesomer...if that's even a word. Anyway, I still have to keep the fighting here so you'll have to do this on your own, Fluttershy", Azel said

"W-What?", Fluttershy stammered

"I remembered Bane dropping a knife in the kitchen. Go and get it and use it to block the energy emanating from the chest. That should close the portal", Azel added

"Should?", Fluttershy asked

"Just go. If you want any more help, just tell me", Azel broke the contact

_Inside Darchrow's Sanctuary_

"The time's up now", Darchrow said as he began to conjure some form of magic

"Don't! There has to be another way", Luna tried to persuade her grandfather not to destroy Canterlot.

"It's too late", Darchrow lowered his head as he finished his job.

"At least let me warn Azel about this", Luna asked for one last chance

"Alright, you may give him a warning. But I don't see how that'll help", Darchrow accepted her offer

_At Canterlot's Town Square_

"Azel, are you hearing me?", Luna's voice startled the white stallion

"Luna? You're alright...right?" Azel asked

"I'm okay. Look, grandfather has decided to desolate Canterlot after all so an asteroid is fast approaching the castle", Luna replied

"Well...fuck!", Azel exclaimed, "Okay, how big is the asteroid and how much time do we have?"

"It's about the size of a small house and it'll reach Canterlot in a minute at best", Luna told him

"Thanks", Azel broke the link.

"Incomin'!" Applejack yelled as she fell right on top of Azel, "Sorry about that", she quickly got off the white unicorn

"Applejack! You okay?", Twilight helped her friend up.

"Yep", she replied

"You ready for another bout?", Twilight charged magic in her horn

"What? Yeh gettin' sleepy?", Applejack grinned as the two mares charged at a large bunch of cylings

_Somewhere north of the castle_

Rainbow Dash was nearly knocked out of the sky by a laser from a group of cylings pursuing her.

"Take this, you piece of tin cans", Rainbow Dash suddenly turned around and blasted the group with her thrusters.

"Rainbow Dash, are you there?", she heard Azel's voice

"Yeah, what's wrong?", she asked

"I may need to use the thrusters I gave you so return to the Town Square", Azel told her.

"Roger that", Rainbow Dash said before flying towards the Town Square

In a few seconds, she reached the town square where Azel, Twilight and Applejack were waiting for her.

"Good, you made it", Azel greeted her as he took the thrusters off of Rainbow Dash's wings

"What're you gonna use it for?", Rainbow Dash asked before Azel placed the thrusters on him

"Something stupid", Azel grinned before he took to the skies, "Twilight, follow me", he added

"Um..okay", the lavender alicorn flew upwards

After he was almost half a mile from the ground, Azel noticed the asteroid coming it from the south.

"Twilight, can you figure out its flight pattern or speed or something?", Azel asked

"Err...let's see, it appears to be flying at an angle of 340 degrees and at a speed of 205 miles per hour", Twilight observed it.

"340 degrees", Azel muttered, "Guess there's a chance it may work"

_Back at the balcony in the castle_

"Yes, that may be able to close the portal", Celestia told Fluttershy as she held the knife in her shaking hooves.

"I-I really hope so", Fluttershy slowly drove the knife through the magical barrier of the chest. Slowly but steadily, the beam from the chest waned

"It's working", Celestia heaved a sigh of relief

"I can close it! Can anypony here me?", Fluttershy sent a message to the others, "I can shut the portal down"

"Do it!", Applejack replied before Azel intervened

"No, wait!", Azel said

"Azel, these things are still comin'!", Applejack protested

"I got an asteroid coming in and it's gonna fucking make impact in less than a minute", he added before flying towards the asteroid, "And I know just where to put it"

Within seconds, Azel managed to fly near the asteroid, three-quarters of a mile away from Canterlot.

"Here goes fucking nothing", he said to himself as he use his telekinesis to slowly tilt the asteroid while avoiding contact.

"Azel, yeh know that's a one way trip", Applejack sent a message

"Azel, you're losing some altitude", Twilight told him

"Yeah, I know", Azel smirked before using every last bit of magic left in him to tilt the asteroid more and more.

"Come on! Fuck it!", Azel yelled as he saw the castle in the distance.

Fortunately, that last effort worked and the asteroid began to fly towards the portal.

The next second, both unicorn and asteroid flew through the portal and out of harm's way.

Everypony in Canterlot and at the Sanctuary cheered. Even Darchrow smiled as he saw the asteroid disappear into the sky.

"Good work, Azel", he chuckled

_Inside the portal_

Azel continued to control the asteroid while he looked forward and saw a gigantic mother ship of sorts.

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

I was slowly fading. I wasn't afraid to die. I was coming home.

As the asteroid began to pick up speed, I decided to let go of it. The huge projectile was headed towards the mother ship of the cylings.

A smile came across my face as the impact happened, causing the mother ship to violently explode in a burst of blue flames and sending a fiery shockwave towards me.

I used the little bit of magic left in me to absorb the wave before I fell towards the other end of the portal, towards Canterlot.

I closed my eyes involuntarily as my muscles went limp and mind went dead.

The cylings were done.

The next thing I knew, I was lying on a field of green grass. I looked around in surprise and saw a beautiful sight.

Ponies of different types and ages were happily playing with each other. Some were eating some apples; others were lying on the grass like I was.

"Where the fuck am I?", I asked myself as I stood up.

"Azel!", I heard Cadance's sweet voice call out to me from the distance

"C-Cadance?", I stammered as the alicorn hugged me, "Wait...but aren't you...does this mean...?"

"Well, I guess you are dead too", she smiled sheepishly as she hugged me again

"This sucks so much", I chuckled before I noticed the ponies around the two of us, "And what about these guys?"

"They're also departed souls", she replied

"So, where exactly am I?", I asked her

"You're in the Pony Paradise", she gave me that heartwarming smile

"To be honest", I smiled back, "I never thought Death would actually get me", I laughed before I realized something, "Wait...Death..."

"What is it?", Cadance asked me as I stared at a skeletal pony sleeping beneath a tree

"Hey! Death!", I shouted, awakening the pony who I met so many times before

"Wha...Oh...it's you", he snarled before he stood up, "Hoho! This is rich! The Beast of Tartarus is actually dead", he began laughing hysterically

"Cut the crap, Death", I grabbed him at his neck

"Alright! Alright! Geez!", he said, "So, what did you do to get here? I mean, you've only reached as far as the gate before"

"I'm not exactly sure", I replied. The last thing I remembered was fading as I fell towards Canterlot.

"I'm guessing you'd like to live again, am I correct?", he knew he had me

"Yeah...on second thought, I want her to live instead of me", I pointed to Cadance.

"What?", the two ponies near me exclaimed

"You heard me. Get her soul back to the living world instead of me", I repeated

"Azel...it's okay. I'm happy here, I don't care spending the rest of the afterlife here", she told me. As much as she would like to live again, she was more concerned for me.

"Cadance, I was not able to save you. Now I've got the chance to right that wrong. Please, don't deny me this", I pleaded with her

"But..but...Aunt Celestia...the others", she tried to reason with me

"They'll move on", I smirked before I turned to Death, "Send. her. back"

"Wow...wow...I never knew you had this side to you", Death smiled as he began to conjure the spell to send Cadance back

"It's always been my side", I replied

"Is this true?", Death asked Cadance

"Yes, it is", she smiled at me, "Thank you, Azel", she hugged me

"Goodbye Cadance", I broke the hug, "I'll always be here waiting for you"

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_A minute before_

"Close it", Celestia told Fluttershy a few seconds after the asteroid made impact

Fluttershy obeyed and drove the knife deeper before finally cutting off the magic keeping the portal open.

As the portal began to close, Celestia kept a watchful eye towards the blue sky, looking for any signs of her brother.

A few tense seconds later, a familiar figure began flying towards the ground.

"Well, I'll be darned", Applejack smiled as she saw Azel

"He's not slowing down", Twilight noticed that Azel was free falling. She began to flap her wings so she could catch him.

Before Twilight could react, Azel was caught by Rainbow Dash and Pinkie who managed to grab him towards the safety of a nearby hay stack.

Applejack and Twilight quickly made their way towards their friend. Rainbow Dash was trying to look for any signs of life while Pinkie was just standing a few meters behind her with her mane deflated.

"Is he alive?", Applejack asked Rainbow Dash as she removed the thrusters attached to the white unicorn's body.

"Oh no...this can't be...not now", Twilight began to weep over Azel's body.

Some seconds later, Rarity, Fluttershy, Celestia and Spike arrived. They could see that what they feared had happened.

Azel had not survived.

Celestia quickly galloped over and despite her low energy, she hugged her brother tightly, sobbing profusely.

The others also stood in silence, each one of them had tears in their eyes.

Before long, Luna, Shining and Cadance teleported to the Town Square.

"Sister...what...what's the matter?", Luna feared that the worst might have happened.

"H-He's gone", Twilight answered for Celestia

Luna did not need to say another word. She instantly felt weak at the reply. She did not care that there were others near her. She had lost her brother.

Shining was too shocked to even react. His two childhood friends were lost in one day. It was all too much for him to bear. Twilight hugged him as the two siblings cried their eyes out.

While everypony else was staring at Azel's body, Twilight could not help but notice something moving near her.

She turned to looked around but there was nothing there except the body of her former foalsitter, the princess of love, Cadance.

She blinked and saw it again. Cadance's eyes were moving. A second later, she opened her eyes and a breath escaped from her mouth.

"A...Azel", she weakly said, enough to catch the attention of everypony.

Her energy returned to her and with the help of Shining, she was able to stand up. However, she did not bother to put her attention towards those that were looking at her with shocked expressions on their faces. She could not help but fix her eyes at the pony who helped her get back.

"Azel", she repeated before she began to cry, "You didn't have to do that", she said, burying her face in Shining's shoulder

A few seconds later, Pinkie, who was just standing in a corner by herself, approached Azel.

"No fair...we...we never got to go on another mission...you promised me", she whispered.

No reply came from the white stallion.

"YOU PROMISED ME!", she yelled at the top of her lungs

"HOLY BURGERS NUGGETS FRIES PIZZA TACOS!", Azel suddenly opened his eyes and shouted.

Everypony was too shocked to even do anything. All they did was stare at each other much to the surprise of Azel

"What the hell?", Azel asked the ponies who surrounded him, "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me"

"We won", Celestia smiled before she hugged him tightly. The other ponies were too overcome with emotions to act immediately however, before long, they too managed to join in the hug.

"Alright...yay!", Azel laughed nervously, "Good job. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's call it a day. There's a tacoza joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is but I wanna try it"

After a full minute of hugging, they finally had something to cheer about. The loved ones they lost had returned. They had done it. The threat of the cylings was gone.

"So, about the tacoza...", Azel smiled sheepishly

"We're not finished yet", Twilight remembered Bane's knocked out form in the kitchen

"And then tacoza after", Azel turned towards the castle.

_Meanwhile, at the kitchen in the castle_

"Stupid...stupid...", Bane growled as he slowly made his way to his feet. He looked up, only to meet some faces he wished he never saw. Four alicorn princesses charging magic, three unicorns doing the same, two pegasi flying behind them, two earth ponies glaring at him and a small purple dragon who was clenching his claws.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that coffee now", he smiled sheepishly. He knew he was done

_Half an hour later_

Bane was restrained using Luna's and Twilight's magic. He himself was thoroughly drained after using his magic for some other sinister purposes but that didn't really matter to Azel and the others. He was finally captured. Shining and Cadance personally led the squadron which escorted the Nightmare to Tartarus. He wasn't getting out ever, not while he was so weakened.

Fortunately, because of Azel's containment plan, no resident ponies were harmed let alone killed in the invasion though many doubted that an invasion had even happened. Within a few minutes, they were back in Canterlot. The damage done to the city was quite massive so it was going to take more than just a few days to get everything back to what it was before.

Discord had disappeared and nopony had seen him since the incident. However, Celestia was willing to forgive him and so were the others.

Celestia did not regain her magic immediately but after the chest was returned to where it was, her magic returned to her as well and she was back to her old powerful self.

Insanity's knife vanished forever after the portal was close. Azel deduced that due to the opposing forces between the knife and the chest, one of them had to be destroyed for the other to exist.

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

An hour after the portal was closed; all of us sans Shining and Cadance were silently eating at a tacoza restuarant which was miraculously undamaged except for the front door which was gone.

"So, Azel..", Twilight asked me, "How did you get back anyway? I heard from Cadance that you decided to stay dead in exchange for her return"

"That...that's a good question", I smiled as I patted her, "Anyway, here's what fucking happened..."

I told them about what happened after Cadance disappeared

"And there she goes", I chuckled after seeing Cadance vanish

"That could've been you, you know", Death stood next to me

"So...how much do I owe you now?", I asked the skeletal pony, "Fifty-two bits?"

"Fifty-five", he replied, "Now pay up"

"Fine. It's not like I'm getting back to the living world anyway", I sighed as I materialized some bits

"That's more like it", Death smiled as he took the bits, "So, what're you going to do now?"

"I haven't actually thought about it", I told him

"I can see you've changed...for the better I hope", he smirked

"I'm not exactly sure", I laughed, "I'm an asshole. Then. Now. Forever", I added before hearing some crying sounds

"Looks like they miss you", Death said

"They always do", I could hear Celestia's voice

"I can't do this...", Death turned away

"Do what?", I was puzzled by the pony's sudden behavior

"The elementals...they paid me to keep you dead", he admitted

"The elewhat?", I asked

"The elementals...the lesser fundamentals. Because you're a demi-fundamental, they've always held a grudge against you. They want you dead", Death replied

"You mean they're like Bane?"

"Nope...they are Bane"

"Well, that explains that", I said. I could see it all now. My whole fucked up life was all because some beings were jealous of me. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I guess I'll send you back now", he smiled

"Really?", I exclaimed before regaining my composure, "I mean...what if Bane returns?"

"Don't worry about me. You've paid your debt. You more than deserve to live", he replied before conjuring a spell to take me back, "Don't come back", he joked

"Sure thing", I winked before I found myself looking straight into Celestia's eyes.

"...and that is why pumpkins exist", I smiled

"Umm...I thought you were telling us about what happened to you while you were out", Twilight looked confused

"About what happened to me while I was out? Ohh...that sounds like a nice story. Tell me all about it", I ate the tacoza on my plate

"But you were...you were...", Twilight finally gave up, making everypony laughed.

I proceeded to stare at the carnage outside which was being cleaned up by the residents. They all gave me assuring smiles and waves when they saw me.

"Well what'd you know? They actually miss me", I waved back before I sat down.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_In an alley at Manehattan_

"Help...", a red unicorn gasped before passing out.

"Thank you, Bane", a frail centaur wearing a cloak and a medallion growled as dark energy seeped through him, "Ahh...sweet sweet magic heheh"

"Go...Slay the Beast...", Bane's ghostly voice directed him

"He may have bested me once but I, Lord Tirek, will have my revenge hahahahahaha!", he laughed before walking away from his victim.

**A/N : Thanks for reading through this one. The next one's coming up soon so stay tuned**

**Spoiler : The plot pretty much follows Twilight's Kingdom Part 1 & 2** "But


	22. Chapter 22 : Ganked

**Chapter 22 : Ganked**

**A/N : Welcome to the 22****nd**** Chapter. Well, once again, thanks for your support. More references coming this chapter**

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

It had been a whole month after the cyling invasion. Canterlot was restored to its usual glory and everypony were back doing their usual duties. The one thing that changed though was the fact that I was hailed as a hero for the first time in my life. How cliché is that? Heheh

Yep, as much as I fuckin' hate to admit it, it was true. I got my place in the Stained Glass Collection. It depicted me flying with an asteroid towards a portal.

I could not even take a step outside without being swarming by ponies. And what's worst was that one of my favorite characters from one of my favourite plays, Sheldon Colter of the Big Barn Theory made references to me every single show much like he did with Sponypock.

Ponyville was the only place that didn't overreact that much whenever I arrived. Because of that, it was my favorite place to crash whenever I wanted to head out.

And then that motherfucking goatface Tirek just had to ruin everything. Thanks for nothing, ya fuckin' red bull (?)

One morning

"Azel!", Celestia voice awakened me

"Mom...but I don't wanna go to school on a Monday!", I yelled before throwing my cup of coffee towards the ceiling which Celestia calmly grabbed with her magic.

"Wow, three times this morning. That's a new record", she smiled as she placed my cup back on the table.

"W-Wha...What?", I asked, half-asleep.

"Make that four", she said before she splashed some water on me to fully wake me up.

"HOLY JOEY CHANDLER ROSS!", I screamed before I noticed Celestia giggling at me, "Did I fall asleep again?", I asked as I drank my coffee

"Four times", she replied

"Wow, new record", I commented while continuing to sip my coffee, "Today's the day we get to visit the Crystal Empire right?"

"That is correct. I was hoping if you could join Twilight in welcoming the dignitaries", Celestia finished her cup

"Dignitaries schmignitaries", I mumbled, "They're just stuck up, washed up has-beens who only try to act good to make good impressions"

"And you are?", she grinned

"A stuck up washed up has-been who only tries to act good to make good impressions", I sighed, "Damn you", I jokingly pointed my hoof at her

"You're welcome", she smiled

"So, when are we leaving?", I asked, "And please tell me we aren't going there using the chariot"

"We'll be leaving for the Crystal Empire in two hours and I'll be the one using the chariot, not you", she left the table

"That's a relief. It's a real shame that I'm the Natsu of Equestria", I chuckled

"You're going with Twilight and her friends", she told me

"Well, that's not bad...wait...", I sudden remembered something, "They're going by train...damn!", I shouted

"Either that or the chariot" she added

"Fine", I groaned, "I'll take the train", my stomach began to feel uneasy at the mere mention of that.

Two hours later, I made my way to the Train Station where Twilight and her friends were waiting for me. Fortunately and what a big fortunately it is, Twilight used her magic to prevent me from feeling too sick and as a result, when we reached the Crystal Empire, I did not have to throw up.

"Immobile ground that runs throughout Equestria...I love you!", I hugged the ground as soon as we got off the train

"Umm..sire...what are you doing?", a guard asked me

"Inspecting the ground for any fucking abnormalities. You can't be too careful", I quickly adlibbed.

"Likely story", Twilight nudged me

"Sorry, I just love the immobile ground!", I tried to hug the ground again but thankfully, Twilight and Rarity were there to prevent me from creating any more embarrassing sights.

"Pull yourself together", Twilight scolded me

"Heheh...won't happen again", I replied

"Seems like only yesterday I was saving this place from being totally destroyed. Hey, you guys remember that?", Spike enthusiastically asked

"You only mentioned it about fifteen times on the train here", Rainbow Dash groaned

"Really? I thought I counted seventeen", I joked

"I'm pretty sure it was fifteen", Rainbow Dash smiled

"Yes, and we never hear a peep out of you about your exploits", Rarity sarcastically said

"Heh, point taken", Rainbow Dash smiled sheepishly

"I'm glad you all wanted to come, but I don't think it's gonna be that exciting", Twilight told her friends, "I pretty much just have to smile and wave as the dignitaries arrive"

"Yes, but you get to smile and wave like a princess", Rarity said

"Smile and Wave? **S**mile **A**nd **W**ave? SAW? Yep, I'm not doin' that", I remembered the book I read in the human world

"What's SAW?", Spike asked before he realized something, "Tell me it's not like that creepypasta thing you made me hear"

"Nope it's different", I lied

"That's a relief", he said

"How exactly is that different than smilin' and wavin' like not a princess?", Applejack asked Twilight

"It isn't" Twilight replied

"What's wrong, Twilight?", Fluttershy asked

"Why the loooooooooong fucking face?", Pinkie stretched Twilight's face before letting go

"Butterflies in your stomach?", I asked, making Fluttershy squeak, "Not literally", I added.

"I guess you can say that. I've just been a little unsure about things lately. It doesn't seem that my new role as a princess equates to all that much", Twilight said

"That's just silly. You've got a real important role in Equestria", Applejack assured her

"You are the CHOSEN ONE!" I shouted before quieting down, "Sorry"

"Princess Celestia wouldn't have asked you to come today if she didn't think so", Fluttershy added

"I guess you're right", Twilight smiled

"Of course we are. Now hurry along! You don't want to risk having that important role diminished because you were tardy for your regal meet-and-greet", Rarity pushed the lavender alicorn

Within a few minutes, we reached the place where the ceremony was supposed to take place.

"Dammit!", I growled after seeing the lack of junk food in the place, "This is like that Lord of the Rings movie all over again", I told Spike

"What was it about? A movie where ponies gain magic using rings?", he asked

"What? Hell no, it was about a kingdom of onion rings ruled by a gigantic onion ring", I replied, "The only food they were selling at that place were packets of onion rings"

"Oh...that kind of rings", he said before the trumpets blared all around

"Oh look, waifu stealer's pony counterpart", I groaned at seeing Flash Sentry

"The Duke and Duchess of Maretonis!", the pegasus guard announced

"Spike, could you do me a favor?", I turned to the little dragon

"Sure, why not?", he asked

"I'm gonna go behind that curtain and rustle me up a bunch of burgers. Notify me when this boring-as-The Green Plantern Movie finishes okay?", I said before galloping towards a secluded area.

"O-Okay", he looked at me puzzled

With that, I hid behind some curtains before materializing a pile of burgers. "Jackpot!" I whispered to myself as I happily ate them

After 15 minutes, I finished the burgers so I decided to check out whatever the fuck the others were doing.

"_Dun dun dun..another one bites the dust...dun dun dun.." _I sang before made my way towards the four princesses. Apparently, they were having some discussions.

"I guess I just don't really understand why I'm here. Couldn't one of the royal guard have unfurled the banner?", Twilight asked Celestia

"Having all four of us in the Empire to greet them lets the dignitaries know that their visit is considered an important one", Celestia replied

"Plus, it gives me an opportunity to see my favorite sister-in-law", Cadance added

"And I'm happy to see you. All of you", Twilight smiled

"And I'm not...", I decided to make my presence known, "I mean, I'm not happy to see that no burgers were served in the making of this ceremony"

"Azel? Where have you been?", Celestia asked

"Just chillin' and eatin' some burgers heheh", I grinned before I turned to Twilight, "Continue"

"But I'm...", Twilight stop awkwardly

"But...?", Cadance asked

"But I...well, it's just that Princess Luna raises the moon, Princess Celestia raises the sun, you protect the Crystal Empire, and all I seem to do is...smile and wave", Twilight replied

"SAW!?", I gasped, causing everypony to look at me, "Sorry, proceed"

"_If isn't that I'm ungrateful. For all..."_Twilight began to sing

"Oh please", I trotted away from the singing. If there was one thing I hated to do after a eating a pile of burgers, it was hearing some singing.

A few lines later, the other princesses joined the singing to my dismay.

"SHUT UP AND TAKE MY BITS!", I yelled in the hopes that they might stop but they were not able to hear me, "So much for that idea", I mumbled.

Fortunately the song ended before long.

"Your time will come", Celestia told Twilight as the song stopped.

We spent the rest of the day doing random stuff until it was time to sleep. I slept in the same room as Celestia while Luna slept in another.

An hour after midnight, Celestia woke up with a start, scaring the shit out of me.

"What the hell is it now?", I placed two pillows near each of my ears.

"Sister, are you alright?!", Luna asked as she rushed inside the room.

"I've just had the most terrible dream", Celestia replied

"Not as terrible as having Jeff the Killer, Slenderman and the Rake chase you", I mumbled in annoyance

"Why do you think I'm here? You know as well as I that this was not a dream, but a vision", Luna told Celestia before she turned to me, "Azel, could you please give us some space. There's something urgent we need to talk about"

"Well, it must be urgent", I said in a calm tone before I shouted, "URGENT ENOUGH TO WAKE ME UP!"

I stormed outside and closed the door behind me. However, I could not help but feel curious about what the fuck they were talking about.

"Sis, let me in!", I knocked at the door, "I'm a fairy! I'll make your dreams come true", I chuckled.

Eventually, the door opened. I could see that both of them looked like they had just seen a ghost but I chose to ignore it in favor of getting some shut-eye.

I woke a bit late in the morning and saw that Celestia had already left her bed. I lazily made my way towards a chamber where Celestia, Luna and Twilight were present.

"We believe it happened when Cerberus left his post at the gates", Luna told Twilight

"But that was a long time ago. Why is he just now starting to steal magic?", Twilight asked

"His time in Tartarus left him very weak. He has just now gained enough strength to use his dark powers", Celestia replied

"If you're talking about me, I did not, I repeat, I did not feel weak when I was in Tartarus", I entered the chamber

"Azel!? You're awake?", Luna asked

"Yes, thanks for asking a rhetorical question", I replied, "So, what were ya'll talking about?"

"Just...um...princess stuff", Celestia smiled while giving the worst poker face ever

"Uh-huh...", I decided to go away, "And I'm pretty sure whoever "him" you're talking about isn't a princess", I chuckled as I galloped away

Neither my sisters, Cadance nor Twilight told me anything about what they were saying so I made a choice not to ask them about it anymore.

Soon, I was back in Canterlot with my sisters. When I tried to head over to Ponyville, they were insistent on me staying but I was equally persistent so in the end, I got my way.

After flying for five minutes, I landed near the mane six and saw that they were in the midst of talking about something.

"I don't think it's that big of a surprise. He can be very helpful", I heard Fluttershy say

"Who're you talking about?", I asked Fluttershy

"Azel...", Twilight noticed me, "...please excuse us", she began to push me away from the others

"Twilight, what the fuck is wrong? Please tell me it's not that "princess thing" again", I said

"What?...No no...it's just that...could you please let us discuss something in private?", she asked politely

"I don't see how discussing something with six of your friends is hardly private", I smirked, "Alright, since you ask so nicely, I'll leave you and your friends alone", I patted her before I flew towards the Everfree Forest.

For some reason whatsoever, I had this urge to check up on the Tree of Harmony chest.

Before long, I reached the chest and saw that it was safe and sound. "Wonder what the fuck is inside this?", I thought as I tried to peer through a keyhole, only to be shot with some rainbow dust.

"Fuck!", I yelled as the rainbow dust cleared. I could see from my reflection that my mane had turned into a rainbow colored mane instead of the usual red. "Great...just great...now I look like Rainbow Dash", I mumbled as I flew outside, towards a nearby castle which once belonged to my sisters.

"Look! An alicorn!", I heard Applejack shout as I entered the castle.

"Where?", I looked behind me, only to see that nopony was there, "I don't see any alicorns", I told Applejack who was staring open-mouthed at me, "What?"

"Azel?", Twilight asked

"Yeah, that's me. Why are you all looking at me like that?", I asked

"Azel's a fucking alicorn!", Pinkie yelled before hugging me

"I'm a what?", I asked before I noticed my reflection, "Fuck", I said as I saw a rainbow maned white alicorn stare at me, "Holy Fuck", I added

"How? When?", Twilight inquired

"I have no fucking idea either. And I'm pretty sure this isn't one of my transformations...this...this is me", I still could not believe that I was an alicorn.

"You don't know?", Rarity asked

"Wait, it must be the rainbow dust from the chest", I remembered the chest shooting some dust at me.

"It never did that before", Twilight said, "Maybe it expelled some excess magic or something"

"Probably, I really hope this isn't permanent", I crossed my hooves.

"Anyway, we're heading over to the Tree of Harmony chest, care to join us...Princess Azel?", Twilight and the others giggled

"STFU", I mumbled as I followed the mares.

In a matter of minutes, we reached the chest. I could not help but notice that Twilight's friends all had an object with them.

I asked them about it and they told me that the objects they were carrying were the things they received from other ponies during their individual adventures.

"I don't see anything on them that would give us a clue as to where the keys might be", Twilight said, "They're just...ordinary everyday objects"

"Come on, Boneless! Give us that fucking key!", Pinkie began to shake her rubber chicken vigorously

"I don't think that's going to work", Twilight said.

Suddenly, Boneless flew out of Pinkie's hooves towards the chest before it turned into a key. One by one, the others placed the things they were carrying towards the chest and as expected, they all turned into keys. However, only one keyhole was left opened.

"There's still one key missing. The key that represents the Element of Magic. My element", Twilight observed the chest

"And here's where Twilight would place her key", I pointed to the last keyhole, "If she had one"

"Where do you think it is?", Spike asked me, "Do you think there's a reason why she doesn't have it?"

"Yeah", I replied before a scowl came on my face, "Dinkelberg..."

"Dinkelwhat?", Spike looked at me with a puzzled expression

"Nothing", I grinned

"Oh, I'm sure that if we've gotten our keys, you have too, Twilight", Fluttershy told her

"Think, Twilight. When have you completed a difficult magical task, and in doing so encouraged another pony to do the same?", Rarity asked Twilight

"I haven't. If I had, I would have written about it in the journal", Twilight replied

"Don't worry, Twilight. I'm sure you'll get your key eventually", Spike smiled before burping a letter

"That's fucking gross", I retorted as Twilight began to read it

"What's it say?", Spike asked

"That I'm needed in Canterlot at once!", Twilight replied before she flew towards Canterlot.

"Geez, wonder what's the prob? Must be another princess stuff", I watched the lavender alicorn fly off

"Well, why don't join them? Seeing that you're now a princess and all", Rainbow Dash giggled

"Oh yeah...I've forgotten about this", I suddenly remembered that I was an alicorn, "I really...really...really fucking hope this is temporary"

"Why? I think it would be swell to be an alicorn", Rarity said

"Right...being royalty must be so awesome", I sarcastically replied, "No, Rarity dear. You do not know what I would give to be just normal ponies like ya'll". I decided to tell them my foalhood dream. When you're royalty, you don't get the freedom you want. It was always "these guards will follow you", "Don't exit the castle", it was enough to drive me crazy for a while.

"Huh? I never thought yeh felt that way", Applejack said

"It's a dumbass dream but I really wish that one day, I get to live life as a normal pony", I chuckled. Even I didn't believe that would happen.

Suddenly, small critters began to huddle around Fluttershy.

"What the fuck's gotten into them?", Pinkie asked

"O-Oh dear...", Fluttershy covered her mouth with a hoof as she heard the animals.

"What is it? What's wrong?", Spike asked. Everypony could see that something was going on and it wasn't good at all.

"They say that...they say that...some ponies who were on the other side of the forest had their magic stolen from them by two strange creatures", Fluttershy replied

"Anything else, sugarcube?", Applejack wanted to know more and so did the others.

"Also, one of them was red and huge and had a medallion around his neck", Fluttershy added

"I wonder who or what the creature is", Rarity said

"Only one way to find out", I prepared to head towards the place where the two creatures were last seen, "You better return to the castle", I told them

"No way we're letting you do this on your own", Rainbow Dash protested

"Who's the princess...err...prince around here?", I sighed

"You, silly", Pinkie replied

"Yes, and as your princess...ahem...prince, I order all of you to head over to the fucking castle", I commanded

"I guess you can handle it yourself then, right?", Rarity was bit unsure about letting me go alone

"Don't worry. I do this kind of shit all the time. I'm like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles packed into one body", I grinned

"What?", Spike asked

"Never mind", I said before heading off.

In a few minutes of fruitless searching, I saw a snake like figure floating around.

"Hands up! Paws up! Talons up!", I pointed my horn at the figure.

"I'm innocent, officer!", the creature quickly threw himself in front of me.

"Discord?", I raised an eyebrow

"Who are you? Princess...", he soon recognized me, "...Azel", he snickered

"Cut it out. What the fuck are you doing around here?", I asked him

"I was just tracking an escaped prisoner, thank you very much, princess", he chuckled before producing a bouquet of flowers, "Here's a bouquet for the lovely mare", he snickered

"Just because I'm an alicorn doesn't mean I'm an freakin' PRINCESS!", I yelled

"Okay then. Well, if I were you, I'd make myself scarce", he gave me a train ticket

"Why?", I asked

"Him", he grinned as a huge red centaur shot a beam of magic at me.

"Hello...Beast", I heard the centaur growl before I lost consciousness

**A/N : Well, that's that for this chapter. Please do leave a review if you like. Till next time then**

**PS : The reason Azel was turned into an alicorn was because the Tree of Harmony chest expelled the magic of Insanity's knife back to the owner i.e., Azel. Also, I wanted to make Tirek a bit more powerful by absorbing Azel's alicorn magic as well.**


	23. Chapter 23 : Shadow of the Day

**Chapter 23 : Shadow of the Day**

**A/N : And here we are. Chapter no. 23. Thanks for your feedbacks and your reviews. You're all awesome!**

Everything was blurry when I opened my eyes. It felt like I had been hit with a hammer or something.

As I stood up, I could feel that something was missing. Something that I had never lost before.

I galloped towards a nearby stream and looked at my reflection. My mane was back to being good ol' red and the wings I had were gone. However, I could also see that something else had disappeared as well.

My cutie mark was gone and so was my ability to use magic. After taking about a minute to calm down, I decided to gallop back to the castle to see if Twilight and the others were still there.

To my disappointment, they had already left. Since it was no use trying to go on searching for them, I figured it was best to go back to my home.

As I slowly went back to Ponyville, I could barely remember what happened before. If things were as bad as I thought they were, then we were in trouble, big trouble.

Golden Oak Library was the first place I wanted to go to. Seeing that it was Twilight and Spike's home, I knew they wouldn't decline me shelter for the night. Whatever Tirek hit me with, it weakened me a lot. I could feel my body trying to compensate for my sudden loss of magic.

When I reached the library, Spike was the only one present in the literal tree house.

"Hey, Azel", he greeted me before noticing me more clearly, "Whoa, guess that alicorn form was really temporary"

"Yeah...whatever", I looked around, searching for Twilight, "Where's Twilight?"

"Oh, she still hasn't returned from Canterlot", Spike replied, "By the way, aren't you suppose to go home by now?"

"Right...about that...", I decided against telling him about my lack of magic, "I was thinking about maybe spending the night here"

"Wow! Really? That's awesome!", he exclaimed. Apparently, the little dragon was pretty glad to have me around.

"Wonder what the fuck those mares are talking about...", I asked

"Must be some princess stuff", he yawned before he headed towards his bed, "I guess you can sleep wherever you want", he added

"Nighty night, dragon dude", I began to read a Daring Do book.

"Okay...", he said awkwardly before disappearing.

I spent the next three to four hours reading some books. I wanted something to keep my mind off of what had happened to me. If I told Celestia or Luna, they would probably freak out and that was something I don't want that to fucking happen.

In the middle of the night, an alicorn made her way inside the library, awakening a snoring Spike in the process.

"You weren't gone very long", Spike told Twilight who was twitching for some reason, "Does that mean everything's okay?"

"Yep! Everything's fine", she chuckled nervously

"In that case, I'm going back to bed. Sun's not up...and neither am I", Spike said sternly

"That's strange. The sun should be up by now", Twilight noticed that the moon was still in the sky, "The sun should be up by now!", she gasped before using her magic to lower the moon and to make the sun...ahem...rise.

"When did you learn how to do that?", I asked her. She squeaked as she saw me. She was probably unaware of my presence

"Azel! Y-You're here? I mean, what are you doing here?", she asked

"Spending the night here", I threw a book towards her, "Reading Daring Do's books and waiting for you"

"Oh...thanks", she smiled nervously. Anypony with eyes could see that she was hiding something.

"So, do you mind telling me why the fuck you took so long?", I inquired

"Just...um...princess stuff", she gave me an even worst poker face

"Yeah...right...", I chuckled

"Errr...Azel...what happened to your wings and your manes? You're back to normal again", she wanted to change the subject as soon as possible

"About that...let's just say I met someone who was able to revert me back", I grinned

"Well, good for you", she twitched again

"Anyway, since you're here now, Ima gonna catch some Z's", I told her before I drifted off to sleep.

3...

2...

1...

"Azel! Wake up!", I opened my eyes to see the purple dragon shaking me

"Coffee", I looked at him straight in the eye. My crankiness had returned.

"O-Okay", he rushed towards the kitchen. In a matter of seconds, he returned with a cup of coffee.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I sipped the coffee

"It's Twilight", his face lit up, "You have got to see it. It's like she's overflowing with magic"

"Overflowing? What in the fuck are you saying?", I asked again.

"She blew the front door and she flew fast, even faster than Rainbow Dash", he enthusiastically replied

"Like that's never been done before", I retorted as I finished my coffee, "So, where is she?"

"Oh right, she told Applejack and the others to keep everypony indoors before she headed towards the castle in the woods", he answered

"You mean Celestia's old castle?", I asked

"The same one. She seemed to be in quite a hurry", he added

"So, I'm guessing you want me to keep an eye on her?", I snickered

"Well...you did make a promise to her family", he smiled nervously

"Okay, little Jimmy, we'll go search for her", I patted him as we headed outside.

Twilight's friends had just finished securing the other ponies' safety. There were no ponies aside from them staying outside.

"Good job with the police-ish work heheh", I went towards them

"Yeah, thanks. But we still aren't sure why Twilight wanted us to do this", Rainbow Dash said

"I believe there is something a bit...odd about all of this", Rarity told us her suspicions

"Twilight twitchin'?", I asked

"That too. Must be her Twilight Sense", Pinkie giggled

"Come on, it must be something other than that", Spike said

As we thought hard about why Twilight was acting all weird and shit, a certain draconequus made his grand entrance.

"You...", I shot a glare at him

"You're back!", Fluttershy gasped as she saw Discord, "Did you bring the cucumber sandwiches?"

"Cucumber? Blah", I voiced my disgust

"I did", Discord grinned, "I imagine they'll be your last decent meal for quite some time", he added before trapping the mane six and Spike in a cage.

"Well, to be honest I did expect that", I tapped the cage, "Ceramic Titanium? Where did you get this? The Shah of Capcom's Garage Sale?"

The mares were too shocked to react to the situation. I could see that Fluttershy was the one who took this the hardest.

"Ta-Da!", Discord exclaimed as Tirek appeared

"You've gathered up all of them?", Tirek asked Discord

"And her little dragon, too", Discord grinned

"And ol' goatface's back in town", I indifferently moved towards the red centaur

"Who are you, puny pony?", he roared

"Umm...he's Prince Azel, you know, the one who broke your horn in Tartarus", Discord whispered

"You!", Tirek and I continued to glare at each other

"Well, this will be so awesome", Discord put on a pair of shades and ate some popcorn while standing near the cage

"Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends!", Fluttershy began to cry uncontrollably

"Oh, we were", Discord snickered, "But Tirek offered me so much more than just tea parties. Surely you saw this coming"

"I didn't. I really didn't", Fluttershy continued crying

"Tell me you didn't just do that", I pointed my horn at the draconequus

"Do what?", he playfully threw popcorn at me

"Apologize. To. Her", I growled. I had no why I did that but I assumed that it was because Fluttershy, of all ponies was the one who had faith in him and he had just destroyed their friendship

"Oh, what are you going to do?", he brushed me off, "Threaten me?"

"You have no power here or anywhere else", Tirek laughed.

"I don't need some fucking magic to kick your sorry asses", I grinned.

"Too bad. So sad", Discord pelted me with some popcorns before Tirek began to absorb the magic of the mares near me and other ponies.

"You do know he's got a one track mind? He might just put you down", I pointed to Tirek who had just grown bigger after being filled with more magic.

"I'll take the chance", Discord grinned as he made me sit in front of a table eating some cereal.

"Well, goatface's not that powerful", I ate the cereal. The next second I spat it out after seeing Tirek demonstrate his power by blasting a building to ashes.

"You're funny. I'll trap you last", Discord winked before turning to Tirek.

"Question : Why aren't you afraid of Tirek?", Rainbow Dash asked me

"You want a sugar-coated lie or a bitter truth?", I asked back

"The bitter truth", Applejack replied

"Okay, okay. It goes like this. In my second year at Tartarus, I met Tirek. He's probably stronger now than he was before. Anyhoo, we got into a little fight and I kinda broke his...um...horn", I ended with a sheepish smile

"WHAT!?", they all exclaimed

"It's true", I smirked before I fixed my eyes at the two bad guys.

"You really think she'd do anything for them?", Tirek asked Discord

"If Twilight had magic to give, it will be yours. Soon there won't be a Pegasus, Eath Pony or unicorn or...", Discord glanced at me, "..Beast who will be able to stand up against us"

"Us?", Tirek grinned deviously, "Who said anything about us?"

"You did", Discord was surprised by Tirek's reply

"You've helped me grow strong, you've provided the means by which I can obtain Princess Twilight's magic, and now you are no longer of any use to me", Tirek said before absorbing Discord's magic.

"Called it", I whispered to Rarity

"I..I can't believe it", Rarity, like the others stared open-mouthed at what just happened

"But you said this was a sign of your gratitude and loyalty", Discord said weakly as he held out a medallion, "A gift from someone close to you"

"My brother who betrayed me", Tirek coldly replied, "It is as worthless as he is"

"Surely you saw this comin'", Applejack turned to Discord

I didn't. I truly didn't", Discord lowered his head as he watched Tirek grow stronger with his magic.

"Well, talk about karma", I stood in front of the magicless draconequus

"Discord...why?", Fluttershy asked

"I..I thought he was going to give me something more valuable than friendship", Discord replied, "I'm afraid I was wrong"

"Great...this is just great!", I growled, "I'm all out of magic. He's all out of magic. We're all out of magic and we've got a steroid filled goatface about to ravage Equestria. Can this day get any worse!?", I yelled

"I could squish you like the bug you are", Tirek stood behind me

"I'd like to see you try, brass nose", I fixed my eyes on his, trying to look as intimidating I could

"So be it", he roared before trying to trample me

"You think just because you have magic, you're more powerful?", I dodged the attack, "News flash, dumbass. I've never needed magic to overcome the odds"

"Dumbass? You'll pay for that insult...and for breaking off my horn!", he yelled as he charged magic.

"Wow, you really did break his horn", Rainbow Dash said

"It wasn't pretty but it fucking worked", I gave her a smile before dodging a beam, "Nice aim, goatface", I taunted

"I wouldn't do that if I were you", Discord warned me.

"Do what?", I asked before being punched towards the ground by a red arm. Pain shot to every single nerve of my body. The force was so powerful, it cracked a rib or two.

"Like a bug", Tirek smirked as he stared at me.

"Azel!", the mane six gasped in concern

"I'm okay, thanks for asking", I grinned as I tried to get up. I was far from okay and I could not even stand up. All I could do now was continue looking like I was okay just to make the others feel better.

"No, you're not", Tirek said before trapping all of us inside bubble traps, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a princess to find"

With that, Tirek headed off towards the woods to find Twilight.

"Azel, don't try to move. You'll only hurt yourself more", Spike saw that I was attempting to get out of my bubble prison.

"Spike, you silly little dragon doge", I stopped trying to escape, "Didn't know you cared"

"We all do", Rarity said

"Yeah! We all fucking care for you", Pinkie smiled

"Gee thanks. If only your sympathy could get me out of this", I grinned, "Looks like I'll be stuck here while Tirek demolishes Twilight"

"I doubt it will be easy for Tirek", Discord said

"Huh? Why's that?", I asked

"The other princesses gave all their magic to Twilight", he replied

"Oh no! If Tirek manages to absorb all of Twilight's magic, there'll be nothing that can stop him", Applejack said

"I bet it won't be an easy task for Tirek", Rainbow Dash smirked

"Rainbow Dash's right. If she's got that much magic, she just might be able to whoop Tirek's ass", I commented before turning to Discord, "Hey, you got any idea where my sisters are? Or maybe where Cadance and Shining Armor are?"

"I was afraid you might ask that", Discord lowered his head, "Shining Armor is incapacitated while the three princesses have been sent to Tartarus by Tirek"

"WHAT!?", we all exclaimed at Discord's reply

"Wait...lemme get this straight. Shining...out...Cadance, Celestia and Luna...banished!?", I stared wide-eyed at the draconequus.

"I'm afraid so", he said dejectedly

"Well, fuck my bruises and broken bones and shit. I'm outta here", I growled before I tried to stand up, ignoring the pains I had.

"Azel, take it easy", Fluttershy said

"How about...nope!", I shouted before I drove my horn forcibly through the trap. I could feel the force that was trying to crack my horn but I kept on going until the bubble popped. My horn was almost split in the middle because of that but I had managed to escape just in time before it did.

"I can't believe it. He actually made it", Applejack smiled

"Kids, don't try that at home", I groggily said as I tried to stand on all fours.

"But, darling, you're still hurt. How can you possibly think about taking on Tirek when you're in a state like that?", Rarity wanted me to just rest.

"Sorry, Rarity. I'm a douche bag and that's what douche bags do", I gave her a smile before I slowly made my way towards the old castle.

Though it hurt like heck whenever I took a step, I was determined to stop Tirek no matter what.

The next second, I could see Twilight whizz past me.

"Twilight?", I asked myself as I saw the purple blur

"Azel?", a voice came from some distance away before a lavender alicorn teleported in front of me.

"Where's Tirek?", I asked her, trying my best to persuade my legs not to betray me.

"He's nearby", she replied, "Oh no! This is bad! You're hurt!", she exclaimed

"Yeah...thanks, I never noticed", I groaned before she started healing me.

"Quick, you must get out of here. It's too dangerous", she told me as she finished healing my injuries.

"No way. He's in line for a fucking smack down after sending my sisters and my friend to Tartarus", I gritted my teeth.

"What!? Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Cadance are in Tartarus!?", Twilight asked, shocked at hearing the news.

"Yep. Come on, let's give that goatface what he deserves", I galloped towards Tirek who had just appeared from out of nowhere

"I see the Beast is back for round two", Tirek grinned as he prepared to counter my moves.

Suddenly, Twilight blasted the centaur with a bolt from behind. Seeing that Tirek was focused on me, she took the chance and attacked him first.

"GRRR! GET BACK HERE!", he roared as he chased her.

I continued to pursue Tirek as he tried to blast Twilight who was masterfully avoiding his attacks using her teleportation spell.

"I'll deal with her later", he growled as he turned towards me.

"Do you wanna know how much I would love to knock your bloody block off, mate?", I asked

"Tell me! I'm not scared", he grinned, grabbing me with his arm

"It's over 9000!", I yelled, kicking him in the chest before preparing to ram him.

"Oh no, you don't!", he shouted before grabbing me again, "You little pest...I can't believe you actually defeated me before"

"Wow much anger so rage", I smirked

"The princess", he turned towards Twilight who was on top of the Library.

"Uhh...no...that's a bad idea. She loves her library", I warned him before he shot a large beam at the library.

A violent explosion surrounded the library before everything was burnt down. When the dust cleared, all that was left was the stump of the giant tree.

"Why you!", Twilight yelled in anger as she shot a multi-colored beam at Tirek

"Told ya", I smirked, escaping the giant red centaur's grasp.

The blast connected with a beam from Tirek. Fortunately for the goatface dumbass, his magic was just strong enough to prevent Twilight's beam from causing him any real damage.

The two superpowers went back and forth with blasts of zippy magic here and there. It was not an easy task trying to keep them in sight but I could see that Tirek was obviously on the ropes. I honestly thought Twilight was gonna win. However, Tirek had a card up his non-existent sleeves.

"It appears we are at an impasse. How about a trade, Princess Twilight?", Tirek summoned Twilight's friends and Discord who were still trapped, "Their release for all the Alicorn magic in Equestria", he grinned

"What the fuck!? Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect something like that", I stood in front of the centaur, "Never thought you didn't have some guts"

"You again!", he roared at me before he tried to trap me again

"Hell no! You ain't getting me with the same trick again", I dodged the attack before I head butted him, causing him to stagger back a bit.

"Such insolence deserves punishment!", he tried to stomp me, only to find Twilight charging magic, readying herself to blast him.

"Twilight! Blast this motherfucker!", I yelled as she prepared to shoot

"Shoot me and they all perish", a smirk came across the face of the centaur

"Oh no", Twilight gasped before stopping herself

"Crap...", I muttered as I backed away. I sure as hell wasn't going to let them die because of some retard decision I might make.

"What's it going to be?", Tirek asked

"Don't do it!", Rainbow Dash shouted

"We aren't worth it", Fluttershy added

"Oh but you are, Fluttershy", Discord said, "You're the pony that taught me friendship is magic. I had magic and friendship, and now I don't have neither"

"Enough!", Tirek growled, "I want an answer, and I want it now!"

After a few seconds of silence, Twilight finally gave in, "I will give you my magic, in exchange for my friends", she said

"If only Hatred was around", a thought raced through my mind as the others gasped at Twilight's answer. Hatred wasn't as merciful or caring as Azel was. His brutality was enough to keep Tirek at bay for more than a decade.

"As you wish", Tirek grinned before releasing the mares and Spike

"All of my friends", Twilight demanded

"After the way he has betrayed you, you still call him a "friend"?", Tirek pointed at Discord.

"Release him", Twilight said sternly

"If that's what you want you want", Tirek released Discord

"Thank you, Twilight", Discord said before turning to Fluttershy, "I'm sorry"

"I know", Fluttershy replied

"You turn", Tirek smirked before he began to absorb Twilight's magic.

"Twilight!", I tried to rush towards her. I could not just stand and do nothing while she was screaming in pain

"No...please...don't...", she protested

It was hard trying to restrain myself from trying to help her. I finally snapped. I jumped between her and Tirek as the process almost finished.

I could feel some magic returning to me due to the interference. The same feeling of power surged through me. Twilight's alicorn magic caused black streaks to appear on my mane and tail again while also surrounding me with some form of electricity.

As the others stared in awe at me, I turned my attention to the powerless alicorn near me.

"Azel...are...you okay?", she asked as I helped her up

"More than okay", I smiled before she stood on her own power, "I'm just borrowing your magic for now. I'll hold him off"

"Will you be alright?", she asked

"If there's anyone who's supposed to be worried, it's this goatface asshole", I glared at Tirek

"You think you can beat me!? Hah! I have the magic of your princesses and every pony in Equestria. I'm invincible", Tirek laughed

"Go...try to find a way to clean this fucking mess up", I ordered her before the same electricity surged through me, making me teleport around with ease.

"What!?", Tirek looked annoyed at seeing another teleporting pony

"I am so going to make you pay for sending my sisters and friend to Tartarus", I moved closer and closer

"Me? You're the one who's going to pay!", he began to shoot me with beams of magic which I managed to avoid easily, "Be still!", he grunted.

"Zip! Zap! Here I am! Over there! Haha! Hoho! Touché!", I chuckled as I teleported all over the place

"No more games", he growled before stomping the ground, causing me to lose my hoofing

"Uh-oh", I mumbled before being blasted by a beam, "That smarts", I slowly stood back up

"I am your ruler now!", he yelled, grabbing me and throwing me. Thankfully, I was levitated by some form of magic, preventing me from crashing into a nearby house.

"What the?", I turned to see whoever saved me.

"We leave you alone for a minute and this happens", Twilight grinned as she and the rest of the gang arrived. They were all rainbowy and stuff. The magic between them was over 9000 to say the least.

"How is this possible?! You have no magic!", Tirek shouted in disbelief

"You're wrong, Tirek", Twilight said, "I may have given you my Alicorn magic, but I carry within me the most powerful magic of all!"

"Hence, the title of the show", I smirked as the mares blasted Tirek with a huge beam of magic, "Friendship is Magic"

After being hit, Tirek began to slowly lose his powers, growing smaller and weaker. By some means, he was instantly teleported back to Tartarus so I did not, I repeat, I did not get a chance to layeth the smacketh down on his candy ass.

As I watched the mane six fly off to different parts of Equestria, me, Discord and Spike slowly made our way back to Ponyville.

"Hey, you're back to normal", Spike noticed that my mane was devoid of any black streaks

"Seems like it. So that's what Twilight's magic felt like", I remembered the confident feeling I got

"What did it felt like?", Spike asked

"Felt like I was having fun", I smirked

"Well, I do hope you still have the heart to forgive me after all of this. Although I understand if you won't", Discord said lowly

"Oh yeah...about that...I guess I'll have to wait for Fluttershy's opinion on that", I replied as Twilight and the others arrived.

Before anypony had the chance to speak, the Tree of Harmony chest flew from the Everfree Forest before it sank into the ground. Seconds later, a great crystal castle rose from the ground.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle...", I smiled as I saw the castle.

"Sweet Celestia! Are you all seeing what I'm seeing?", Rarity exclaimed

"But...whose is it?", Twilight asked before Celestia and the others arrived at the scene

"I believe it is yours, Princess Twilight", Celestia replied

"Tia! Lulu! Cadance!", I galloped over and hugged the three of them

"Are you alright, little brother?", Luna asked

"Sure am now", I nuzzled her, "Can't believe Twilight got a castle before me though", I joked

"Sorry", Twilight smiled

"You've been wondering what you are meant to do as a princess. Do you know now?", Celestia asked Twilight as we entered the castle

"As princess, I believe I have the power to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. That is the role I am meant to have in our world!", Twilight replied, "The role I choose to have! But I didn't defeat Tirek on my own...it took all of us to unlock the chest!"

"Then it is unlikely you are meant to take on this task alone", Celestia smiled as seven thrones appeared in the throne room

"This is awesome", I smirked as Twilight and her friends gasp in amazement. There were seven thrones for the seven of them.

"Wowee!", Pinkie exclaimed

"You are now Princess Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. But what is the princess of friendship without her friends?", Celestia asked

"Wait a minute, where's my throne?!", Discord looked around

"I don't think you're quite there yet", Fluttershy replied

"Yes, well, I suppose not", Discord chuckled

"Get in line buddy", I added, "You're not the only one without a throne"

"Ah yes. Prince Azel", he turned to me, "Tell me, what prince would you like to be? The Prince of being a Princess?"

"He'll be the prince of pranks for now", Celestia placed a wing around me

"Always has been, always will be", I smirked before Twilight began to sing, "Well, can't say I didn't expect that", I chuckled.

The day had ended better than it started. A beautiful rainbow shot from the floor which travelled all over Equestria where it was seen by many ponies. Discord was finally accepted by the ponies and he expressed his gratitude by giving a bouquet of flowers to Celestia.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_Meanwhile, in the depths of Tartarus_

"You failed me?!", Bane yelled at the weakened Tirek

"I'm sorry...I did not anticipate them harnessing the magic of the Tree of Harmony chest", Tirek cowered in fear

"I give you my last remaining powers and you say you failed!?", Bane was beyond angry, "Now the only magic I have left is inside four beings and they have no way of returning to Equestria"

"What beings?", Tirek asked

"Three sirens and an assassin", Bane replied, "The next time Azel returns to the human world, they'll be waiting for him"

**A/N : Thanks for reading through this one. The next one comin' up soon**

**A.A/N : Please add a "what if" in your reviews and they will be answered in the next chapter. You can ask as much as you like**

**For example : What if Azel managed to kill Celestia the first time?**

** What if the Cyling Invasion was successful?**

**Spoiler : Cupcake Pinkie's appearance in Chapter 25**


	24. Chapter 24 : What If

**Chapter 24 : What If**

**A/N : Okay, thanks for all your questions. Let's get crackin', shall we?**

**Q: (Mallory Shadowielder) What if Sunset and Azel got together? And how will Azel react when he saw the sirens again?**

A: To be honest, Sunset x Azel has the best chance of happening due to both of them having similar pasts. So, yeah, if they got together, Azel would probably be even more overprotective of her however, Sunset Shimmer would often jokingly reprimand him of his overzealous actions and he would have no choice but to obey. Think of their relationship as a comedic overprotective relationship.

As for the sirens, if Azel saw them and realized that they were a potential threat to his friends, he would of course try to get rid of them but they will have some sort of counter against him. (Yep, I gave away a half-spoiler)

**Q : (oparalte77) What if Azel never met Insanity?**

A: Well, that's a good question. Azel would have still gone to Tartarus since he was destined to become Hatred at some point. However, he would have not been as strong as he was and there's a good chance that while he was Hatred, he would have either been killed by Celestia's guards or by the inmates in Tartarus.

So, meeting Insanity proved to be a good thing in the long run.

**Q: (oparalte77) What if Cadance married Azel instead of Shining?**

A : If there was a future in which Cadance marries Azel, it would be one where Azel would have never met Insanity and never became Hatred. Chances are Shining would be the General of the Equestrian army while Azel ruled alongside Cadance.

As for the Canterlot Wedding episode, Twilight and Shining would be the one to disrupt it instead of just Twilight seeing that the two siblings would have grown much closer to Azel and Cadance.

**Q: (culvinator) What if Hatred succeeded in destroying Equestria?**

A : I guess this would be the alternate ending to Chapter 5. Anyway, Hatred would have never been cured and as a result, Celestia would be killed and so would everypony else. The solar flares would certainly burn Equestria, killing everypony including Hatred who would have greeted Death due to having no more purpose.

There would be no more life on Equestria and it would become just a barren wasteland devoid of any life. Probably the worst possible future that could happen.

**Q: (dannystarlight) What if Azel died after the solar flare waves?**

A: Lemme rephrase some lines from Chapter 5 : "_I smiled and closed my eyes as I fell. Finally, I had done something worthy_"

Azel finally found his inner peace so he would find no reason to linger on as a wandering spirit. Bane would have disappeared since his only purpose was to kill Azel. Everything would have happened according to the original plot and the Cyling Invasion would have never taken place.

**Q: (jonjoker6) What if Tirek ended up ruling Equestria?**

A: Implying that everything else followed the plot of this story, Azel and his friends i.e., the mane six would have to go into hiding for a long time until they were sure they had a chance at taking down Tirek. A resistance would be formed and since Tirek's magic would wane with time, they would succeed in reclaiming Equestria after about a decade or so.

**Q: (jonjoker6) What if Bane brought back Nightmare Moon?**

A: To be honest, it would be Bane's most personal attack on Azel. Azel had never seen Luna attack him or betray him in his life before so it would be a great blow on him.

However, Azel would reign supreme in the end due to his increased hatred for Bane after manipulating his sister who he loved very much. And quite possibly, it might be the end of Bane.

**Q: (jonjoker6) What if Azel garners feelings for any one of the mane six? What would happen?**

A: I think it's best to answer with some short scripts:

_Azel x Applejack_

"Come on, just on the side yeh big colt", Applejack smiled as she tried to kiss Azel on the side of his cheek.

"Keep it down, Applejack. Nopony knows we're dating", Azel tried to look as serious as he could

"Everypony knows", Rainbow Dash smirked as she passed the couple

"Okay, just one", Azel groaned before receiving a kiss, "Damn", he sighed before holding her hoof

_Azel x Fluttershy_

Azel lazily sat inside the tree house he personally made for him and Fluttershy. His face brightened when he saw his marefriend daintily flying inside.

"Where the fuck have you been to?", Azel galloped towards her before hugging her.

"I-I had to feed the birds", Fluttershy smiled

"You would care more for some critters than me?!", Azel yelled before he gave her a huge smile, "That's why I love you", he placed his chin on her head

"Me too", Fluttershy hugged him back.

_Azel x Pinkie Pie_

"I bet I love you more", Azel grinned, placing a hoof around Pinkie

"I bet I love you even more", Pinkie giggled

"No I love you more", Azel nuzzled her

"I love you much more!", she retorted

"We'll call it a draw", Azel said before leaning forward to give her a small kiss

"You still smell like strawberries", she giggled

_Azel x Rainbow Dash_

High above Ponyville, Azel glided peacefully, watching the ponies below him. Suddenly, a blue blur tackled him towards the ground.

"Hah! Told you I could sneak up on you", Rainbow Dash smirked while nuzzling the bigger pony.

"Actually, I saw that coming", Azel continued to fly with her, "So where're we going now?"

"Could we go someplace a bit secluded or something? Just the two of us? You know, it'll be awesome", Rainbow Dash asked

"Sure thing, miss", Azel replied before holding her hoof,

_Azel x Rarity_

"Stop fidgeting, love", Rarity struggled to fit a suit on the white stallion, "You'll tear it"

"I am never going to get used to wearing monkey suits", Azel sighed, "At least it's being made by the most stunning mare in all of Equestria", he smirked

"Azel!", Rarity jokingly scolded him while giggling

"I know! I know! No lovey-dovey stuff during work", he chuckled

_Azel x Twilight Sparkle_

Two ponies happily snuggled next to one another, sleeping inside the Golden Oak Library, the smaller one leaning on the bigger.

"Twilight?", Azel woke the alicorn up

"Umm...wha..what is it?", Twilight yawned

"Your wings are on my head again", Azel replied, "You do know how I feel about that"

"You get cranky, I know", Twilight giggled, "So, you wanna read another book?"

"Just this one", Azel smirked before giving her a kiss, "But please, no more Starswirl shit"

"O-Okay", Twilight replied, blushing from the kiss

**Q: (balorfinn) What if Azel never existed?**

A: A complete absence of Azel would mean that everything would happen according to the original plot. Bane would be much weaker and as a result, some arcs such as the Cyling invasion would have never happened.

**Q: (kenDevitt) What if Discord never helped Bane?**

A: Discord going against Bane would mean that Celestia would have never been brainwashed and nor would she helped to open the portal for the Cyling invasion. Discord would also warn Azel and the others about the Cyling General and help them get rid of him before he could carry out the invasion.

In a sense, Discord could have averted the Cyling Invasion singlehandedly.

**Q: (kingmahoney0) What if Twilight and Spike never followed Azel into the human world?**

A: That would mean that Sunset Shimmer did not steal Twilight's crown at all. However, since Azel did not know anything about the three-day window of the portal, he would have been stuck there for some time.

Since Bane followed him to the human world, Azel would have to deal with the old Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings at the battle of the bands.

**Q: (TheGap6) What if Azel did not go to Tartarus?**

A: Good question. This certain scenario would probably mean that the fundamentals and Bane never interfered in Azel's life for some time. And if he kept going as he was while he was little, Azel probably would become a secondary mentor of sorts to Twilight Sparkle, become a wizard of sorts and travel around Equestria.

The down side would be that Azel would not have been as powerful as he was while he was Hatred. Certain arcs such as the Cyling Invasion and Tirek's return would have been dealt with without Azel.

**Q: (thirstybig) What if Azel became Twilight's brother instead?**

A: To answer this one, we have to use one possible future so we'll use the one where Azel gets sent to Tartarus. Azel still would have been good friends with Cadance and the other princesses and would be the problem-child so to speak in his family. He would be Celestia's student, during which he would be sent to Tartarus for trying to murder her.

Aside from the fact that Azel would not be related to Celestia and Luna and that they would treat him more of as a friend, the plot of this story wouldn't change that much.

**Q: (JerichoIs) What if Azel with Tirek as villains?**

A: This would mean that Azel only escaped from Tartarus after Tirek escaped. Due to their shenanigans together, Tirek might have somehow managed to trick Azel much like he did with Discord.

In the end, however, Azel would see through Tirek and help Twilight and her friends defeat him. Azel would then leave them as he would no longer have any intentions of getting revenge. He would travel the world as a mercenary for hire who would kill anypony except for the ones he see as a friend

**Q: (JerichoIs) What if the asteroid destroyed Canterlot?**

A: All of the main cast would die due to the impact. The Cyling invasion would continue and in a matter of days, all of the remaining ponies would have been under Bane's rule.

Luna would have no choice but to stay with Darchrow while Shining would lead a small resistance group which would succeed in the end (happy ending).

**Q: (PaltrySins) What if Jeff somehow existed?**

A: Shhh...if I answered that, it would be a spoiler heheh

**Q: (Guest) What if Azel had feelings for Twilight all along?**

A: Azel would be proud of himself for accidently coming up with a plan. It would have been awesome for him to act as Twilight's bodyguard just for the sake of being with her. Under the guise of her protector, he would slowly inch his way closer to her heart.

Within some time after the last chapter, he would have finally found the courage to confess his feelings for her.

**A/N: And that's all for the questions for now. Don't worry, you can keep on asking "What if"s, I'll update this chapter whenever there's a new question.**

**Spoiler : Christmas time!**


	25. Chapter 25 : Tether

**Chapter 25 : Tether**

**A/N : A huge thank you to all who gave me some "what if"s. Well, enjoy this one too :D**

I felt something preventing me from moving at all. I looked around and saw that I was strapped down, at my hooves and at my abdomen.

"What the hell?", my eyes darted around the poorly lit room and I realized that the room I was in was a basement. There were unmistakable streaks of dried blood around me and some various tools of torture. Knives of all shapes and sizes were scattered all around me.

"Why can't I escape?", I grunted as I tried to use my magic to rip the restraints off, "Oh shit!", I exclaimed when I realized that my horn was covered up with a cloth of some sorts which prevented me from conjuring even the simplest of spells.

"Oh! You're awake!", Pinkie giggled near my ear.

"HOLY FRENCH FRIES!", I yelled as I saw the pink earth pony, "Pinkie, you startled me"

"Sorry", she began to bounce around me

"Where the hell am I? Doesn't matter, just get me out of here so I can leave", I tried to escape

"But if you leave how will I make the cupcakes?", she asked

"Say what?", I raised an eyebrow

"You promised me that we'd make some cupcakes together", she made a sad face

"Oh...right...", something in my brain told me that I had indeed made the promise

"But I'm missing one little teeny-tiny ingredient", she smiled

"What is it? Just tell me and I'll zap it for you", I nervously chuckled. Seeing her give me that Jeff-esque smile at a place like this was really starting to creep me out.

"It's already here", I could have sworn she just swiped a knife

"Really? What is it?", I asked

"You, silly", she giggled as she sharpened the knife in front of me.

"Heheheh...good one...good prank, you really managed to scare me there for a second...could you...um...remove the restraints now?", I asked nervously. Things really became even more uncomfortable when she showed me the knife.

"Thanks but this is not a prank", she slowly drove the knife through my left hoof. The knife was serrated so it hurt as fuck when she pulled it out

"DAMN...Pinkie!...Why are you doing this?", I struggled as much as I could but it was no use. She had a hammer and a two inch nail in her hooves

"You're just helping me", she giggled before raising her hammer.

"W-What are those?", I saw three cupcakes behind her. A purple one, a blue one and an orange one.

"Oh! That's just Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Applejack", she smiled before lowering the hammer, "Nighty-night!"

"OH MY NUGGETS!", I yelled as I woke up.

It was almost a month after Tirek had been defeated.

I realized that I just had one of the most ridiculously horrible nightmares ever. It was really fortunate that today was going to be a good day. T'was Christmas Time (Yep, we spend it here too) and all was beautiful and white. Perfect time for a snow prank.

A quick cup of coffee made me put my mind off of my nightmare. To my surprise, there was nopony in the kitchen, even Celestia was absent.

"Sire, Princess Luna asks for your presence in the throne room", a guard said as he entered the kitchen

"Tell her I'm comin'. Another cup of coffee and I'll be right over", I told him, finishing my coffee in the process.

After pouring another one, I stared out of the window to observe the sights outside.

Everything was covered in snow and I could hear the joyful laughter of little fillies and colts playing in the snow. It had been a long time since I enjoyed the snow so I was planning on making the most of today. Whether it be pranking others or just hanging around, nothing could bring me down today. Not even charred burgers.

"Merry Christmas, Prince Azel!", a group of pegasi waved at me as they flew above the castle

"Yeah...same to you", I smiled while waving back, "Philomena! Come here, girl!", I whistled. As if on cue, the phoenix flew from her snow-covered nest right onto my hoof.

"Good girl. Hey, you want some crackers?", I joked, "Philo want a cracker?", I levitated a packet of crackers near me before giving her some.

"Sire, Princess Luna is...", the guard returned

"Yes, yes, I'm coming", I replied before turning to the phoenix on my hoof, "I'll get you more crackers when I'm back, okay?", I patted her before leaving for the throne room.

Fifteen Christmas wishes later, I reached the throne room where Luna and Celestia as well as Cadance were present.

"Merry Christmas ya'll", I greeted them before giving them a hug

"Merry Christmas, Azel", Cadance greeted me back.

"So, is there something urgent or something?", I asked them

"It's nothing bad or anything", Luna replied

"You do remember the Crystal Mirror, do you?", Celestia asked

"Yep, what about it?", I asked back

"Well, we're moving it to Twilight's castle in Ponyville and the three of us are going to personally oversee the whole operation", Celestia answered, "You can't be too careful while handling a portal"

"Aww...do you have to?", I made puppy-eyes

"I'm sorry", Celestia nuzzled me, "But it's an important task so we have to go"

"I understand", I hugged her, "You three owe me ten bits", I smirked

"We'll come back as soon as we can", Cadance assured me

"And don't think we forgot about your gifts", Luna grinned

"Humbug", I chuckled, "So, where're they?"

"You'll receive it from us as soon as we get back", Cadance replied

"You better", I grinned as I pulled away, "I'm just gonna, you know, enjoy the snow and stuff"

"Okay, play safe", Celestia waved at me as I exited the room

Playing safe wasn't exactly my kind of thing. It was "be tough and play rough" for me. It worked for more than two decades so it was no use trying to break the habit.

I spent the next two hours picking up some gifts for Twilight and the others. A Star Swirl book for Twilight (ugh), a silk scarf for dragon doge, a shawl for Rarity, a pair of mittens for Pinkie, a hoofwritten book on phoenixes for Fluttershy, a Christmas Hat for Applejack and finally, a Daring Do action figure for Rainbow Dash (I have no idea why lol)

As soon as I stepped a hoof out of Canterlot levitating the gifts, a snowball smacked me right in the kisser.

"Sorry, mister", a unicorn ran towards me, probably not recognizing me due to the snow on my face, "Cotton Roll never looks before she throws a snowball", he helped me up

"Bubble Butt, what's taking you so long!?", I heard a mare shout from the distance

"You smacked somepony", the stallion yelled back

"Not somepony, me", I shook the snow off my face

"Cotton Roll?", Bubble Butt gulped

**A/N : In case you didn't know, Cotton Roll and Bubble Butt are the two spy ponies who met Pinkie and Azel during their spy mission in Chapter 8**

"I swear, Bubble Butt, one of these days I won't come looking for you", the pink earth pony mumbled before she saw me, "P-Prince Azel?"

"Alright…..who threw the snowball?", I asked intimidatingly

"I-It was me", Cotton Roll admitted after a few seconds

"Do you know what I'm going to do after you struck me with that?", I closed my eyes, pretending to be in deep thought

"Please don't hit me…please don't hit me…", I could hear Bubble Butt's thoughts

"I am going to…", I growled, "….wish you both a very Merry Christmas", I gave them a tight hug, "Merry Christmas!", I smiled

"Bubble Butt, please tell me this is a dream", Cotton Roll whispered

"I hope it is", Bubble Butt said before noticing the red coloration on Cotton Roll's face, "Cotton Roll, are you…..blushing?"

"Shut up, you idiot", Cotton Roll hissed

"I have to say, I never expected the two of you to be playing in the snow like little foals", I grinned as I broke the hug

"Princess Celestia gave all the spies a day off today", Bubble Butt replied, "We were just um…using it for target practice"

"Y-Yeah, target practice! That's what we were doing!", Cotton Roll gave me huge smile

"Uh-huh….well, I'll join in", I said before throwing a snowball at Bubble Butt

"I wasn't ready", Bubble Butt hastily scurried away and hid behind a cart

"That's no excu….", I was cut off by a snowball to the face

"Sorry, Prince Azel", Cotton Roll grinned before picking up another snowball, "Here's another one!"

Smack! Another snowball made contact with my face

"Haha….Prince Azel, you know, there is a thing called dodging", Cotton Roll chuckled at my dumb attempt at trying to avoid a snowball from her

"And there's a thing called opportunity too!", Bubble Butt came out of hiding spot with half a dozen snowballs, "Heads up!", he shouted before throwing them all towards Cotton Roll

"Nice try, Bubble Butt", Cotton Roll smirked, kicking most of the snowballs back at him

"Got ya!", I pumped my hoof as my snowball connected with Cotton Roll's face

Suddenly, a snowball hit me in the back. I turned around to see who threw it but there was nopony behind me.

"Bubble Butt, don't use magic, alright?", I turned towards the unicorn

"It wasn't me", Bubble Butt shrugged before another snowball hit me in the back

"Again?", I raised an eyebrow

"I told you, it wasn't me", Bubble Butt said

"Look!", Cotton Roll pointed towards my side. A snowball was slowly rising towards the ground until it levitated in place

"I'm not using any magic", Bubble Butt showed me his non-glowing horn

"Then who's doing this?", I asked before the snowball darted towards my face

"That's gotta hurt", Cotton Roll cringed as the snowball made contact

"Never thought I'd see you fool around like this", a voice giggled. I immediately knew whose voice it was.

"Good job with the sneaky stuff, Twilight", I grinned before Twilight revealed herself

"Merry Christmas, Azel", she gave me a hug

"You too, Twilight", I hugged her back

"Judging from that smirk look on your face, I can see that you're enjoying the day", she smiled

"Thanks. So, what're you and the others doin' at your new castle?", I asked.

"We're just finishing the last touches to our own stained glass collection", she replied, "Oh! There's a picture of you too"

"Really?", I smirked

"Yeah, it depicts you flying with an asteroid", she gave me a smile

"Can't say I didn't expect that", I chuckled before turning to the two spies, "I'll be leaving you two now, take care", I waved at them as Twilight began to teleport us to her castle

"Goodbye, Prince Azel, Princess Twilight", Bubble Butt waved back before we teleported away

In a flash, we reached the castle. Without a moment of hesitation, I dropped my gifts.

"I think I'm gonna hurl", I gave Twilight a sheepish smile while clutching my mouth

"Oops, sorry about that", she used her magic to make innards feel better, "Forgot about your condition"

"To be honest, I think it's pretty lame that the so called Beast of Tartarus can't even overcome a simple motion-sickness", I laughed as we entered the castle.

The Crystal Mirror had already arrived and it was placed near the throne room. The others were lounging around in the throne room while the princesses had returned to Canterlot.

"Oh, hey Twilight, back so soon?", Rainbow Dash asked when she saw the alicorn

"Yeah, I didn't have to look that far to find Azel", Twilight replied

"Merry Christmas everypony", I shouted as I entered the room.

"Hey there, Azel", Applejack greeted me

"Merry Christmas to you too", Rarity winked

"So, what're ya'll doing?", I inquired

"Not much", Applejack replied

"We're just passing the time doing nothing", Rainbow Dash added

"We're fine with it", Spike said

"Why don't you play outside and enjoy the snow? I'm pretty sure you'll find joy in that kind of shit", I told them

"Thanks but no thanks", Rainbow Dash said, "I rather stay here for a while"

"Me too", Fluttershy added

"Me three", Pinkie giggled

"Well, I'm afraid you don't know what you're missing", I smirked before turning to Twilight, "I heard that the Crystal Mirror was moved here"

"Yes, Princess Celestia had already informed me that they had placed it in the next chamber", Twilight replied

"Let's have a look", I dragged her along as I headed towards the mirror

"What about the gifts you brought?", she asked

"We'll get to that later", I replied, "Right now, I wanna check out the mirror first"

"What for?", she asked me

"Nothing. I just want to test something", I soon found myself staring into a mirror, "The last time we went to the human world, you said that the portal in the mirror had a three-day opening period, right?"

"Yes, and it'll only open again after sixty moons", she replied

"Well, I kinda broke that rule when I went through it the last time", I approached it, "I wanna see if I can fuckin' do it again"

"Azel, please, you don't know what might happen", she tried to pull me away

"I've never been afraid of me own uncertainty, lass", I winked

"What about your sisters? You know you don't want them to be worried", she made one last attempt at trying to persuade me not to enter the portal

"Just tell them I'm alright", I smirked as I jumped through the mirror

A few seconds later, I found myself flying through a wormhole which ended up chucking me out right in front of a familiar school. Everypony…I mean….everybody seemed happier than the last time I was here and most of them were carrying various musical instruments.

"Ha! In your face, uncertainty!", I shook my fist towards the sky, earning the attention of some nearby students, "What're ya'll looking at?", I growled after which they quietly left

Since there was a tiny bit of my magic left, somehow, I was able to link my mind to Twilight's even though she was in another dimension

"I'm okay. Tell the others I'll be back in jiffy. Oh, and you can open my gifts if you want", I sent a message

"Alright, but please be careful", she replied before the link and my magic disappeared.

"Uh-oh...nausea", I groaned as the motion sickness got me, making me rush behind the nearest bush to throw up

"Hey! Azel!", I heard Chris' voice behind me

"Yo, Chris my man!", I gave him a fist bump, "So, is the shit here back to normal?"

"Ummm…you could say that", he scratched his head as we walked inside the school,

"And Sunset Shimmer?", I suddenly remembered her

"I don't know if you'll believe this but…..she hasn't caused any problem since the Fall Formal", Chris' face lit up at that question, an obvious indication of his relief.

"Well, good for her", I smiled before I noticed a poster, "Musical Showcase?", I read the title

"Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you. The school's holding a musical showcase, you know, a special charity event", he told me

"So, you planning to enter?", I asked him

"I am if you're gonna", he replied

"Whoa, hold on there buddy. I'm only here for a short while. I ain't participating in this type of shit", I slowly backed away from him. There was no chance, no chance in Tartarus that I was gonna do that.

"Don't worry. I've got some friends. With them, we could enter as a band", he said.

"Really?", I asked. His reply was kinda unexpected but it worked. I was afraid I might be egged into entering the showcase as a solo act but this was much better.

"Yep, we could meet them today or some other time if you'd like", he added.

"Awesome, I'm in!", I gave him a nod before I went away. I did not know why I even agreed to that. To tell the truth, all I wanted to do was to just test if I could go through the portal and not anything else. But this musical showcase stuff made me wanna stay. It was almost like a new addiction or something you can't straightaway get out of.

As I got lost in my dumbass thoughts, I bumped into waifu stealer, Flash Sentry

"Oh, sorry", he apologized before noticing me more clearly, "Azel?"

"Flash", I groaned as he gave me a handshake, "Yes, nice to meet you blah blah blah"

"Ooookay", he said awkwardly, "Are you….I mean is Twilight….?"

"Nope. I'm here alone. I don't know how but I'm here alone", I patted him on the back before I walked away

Suddenly, a door to my left opened and a crimson haired girl emerged from the room behind it.

"Hey there", I grinned as she saw me

"Azel!", her face brightened when she noticed me

"Well, at least that was better than the first reception I got from you when I first arrived", I joked before realizing I had just said something about her past, "Sorry, didn't mean to say that"

"It's okay". she gave me a smile before extending her hand for a handshake, "Welcome back" 

"Handshake?", I raised an eyebrow before hugging her, "Nope. After seeing and hearing about the 180 you made, that wouldn't suffice my pride for your change of heart"

"Er..thanks", she blushed a bit as we separated, "The others are in that room practicing for the musical showcase. You could go see them if you want"

"I know I can", I smirked

"Wait…isn't the portal supposed to be closed for some time?", she inquired

"Apparently, by some twisted means, it only opens for me", I replied

"Really? That's strange…Anyway, are you here alone? Where's Twilight?", she asked me

"I'm afraid it's only me this time", I groaned, "Though I bet Twilight would give anything to see you living this new life of yours"

"Thanks, besides, I'll always be indebted to you, Twilight and the others for helping me get rid of my old self", she smiled

"Which reminds me….You still owe me twice", I grinned before I placed a hand on her shoulder, "Keep it up. Make me proud"

"Of course", she said awkwardly, "So, since you're here, would you mind signing up for the musical showcase? I still remember that rap you performed at the Fall Formal"

"Way ahead of you", I replied, "Actually, me, Chris and his boys will be performing as a band"

"Really? That's great!", she gave me a smile, "So, what's the name of your band?"

"Haven't really thought about that…..", I scratched my head, "The name of our band will be….C Pasta"

"C Pasta? To be honest, that's a bit weird", she replied

"It has a meaning so don't judge me", I smiled, "Oh yeah….Merry Christmas!", I added suddenly

"Christmas?", she raised an eyebrow

"You know…..the _five golden rims, _

_four custom hoods, _

_three engines, _

_two side healdlights _

_and a great white Lamborghini_", I inadvertently sang a song.

"I know, it's just that here, Christmas' two months away", she gave me a smile

"Really? Bummer", I snapped my fingers, "I was really looking forward to singing the "Twelve Cars of Christmas" at the showcase", I joked

"Yep, too bad. Anyway, that was a nice version of yours", she complimented me

"Thanks", I replied

"I gotta run now", Sunset said, "I volunteered to show some new students around", she added before she went away

"I'll be seeing you, bacon-hair", I waved at her

Just as I was about to open the door near me, the human counterparts of Twilight's friends suddenly opened the door, scaring the fucking shit out of me

"HOLY MACARONI!" I yelled before I regained my composure, "Ahem…..hey girls", I smirked

"Azel!", Pinkie tackled me down to the ground before the others followed suit

"Can't say I didn't expect that", I grinned as the giggling girls helped me get back to my feet, "So, I heard ya'll were in a band or something", I shook the dust off of me

"Not just "a" band, "my" band", Rainbow Dash replied proudly, "The Rainbooms"

"Give it a rest, Rainbow Dash", Applejack rolled her eyes before she turned to me, "I suppose I speak for the others when I say we're thrilled to have yeh back in Canterlot High"

"Judging from that group hug you gave me, I can pretty much see that", I chuckled

"Are you here for the showcase, darling?", Rarity asked before she realized something, "Oh…I forgot you're from another world…sorry, thought you might have heard about it before"

"No worries….anyway, Sunset Shimmer and Chris had already told me about it and I kinda plan on signing up", I replied

"That's awesome!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"Where's Twilight?", Fluttershy asked

"Sorry, girls, but I'm the only one here this time", I smiled sheepishly

The next second the school bell rang without warning, causing me to suddenly jump up

"Umm..Azel?", Rarity placed a hand on my shaking shoulder

"Sorry. That always startles me", I grinned before I remembered the bell probably meant that it was lunch time, "Hey, is it lunch time already?", I asked them

"Yep, why?", Applejack looked puzzled

"Tacos!", I squealed with Pinkie before the two of us raced towards the cafeteria, the others looking on with confused looks on their faces.

**A/N: Ah-hah! I believe you didn't see that coming. The Christmas time storyline transitioning right into Rainbow Rocks. Anyway, please leave a review and a "what if" if you like. See ya'll later.**


	26. Chapter 26 : Breaking Levees

**Chapter 26 : Breaking Levees**

**A/N : Hey there, guys. Here's the 26****th**** chapter. Hope you'll enjoy reading this one.**

"What's taking Sunset Shimmer so long?", Rainbow Dash asked as she ate her sandwich

"Well, this place's kinda huge so she might be taking quite some time", Applejack replied

"At least I have tacos!", I grinned while biting into a taco

"Azel, are you sure that Twilight might not come?", Rarity asked me

"I'm pretty sure", I answered, "Though some part of me believes that she and little dog dude might follow me here again", I added

"So, about this band of yours….what are you going to be? Lead singer? Drummer? Bassist?", Rainbow Dash asked

"I'll probably handle the guitars and the rap. I'm not that really into singing", I smirked, "But if it's necessary, I know I can fuck some vocal shit up", I gave them a wink

"Oookay, well, I heard Chris is a good guy so I'm sure his friends will be great too", Rainbow Dash said

"Let's hope so", I grinned before I saw Sunset Shimmer enter the cafeteria, "Oh, Sunset Shimmer's back", I told them as I finished my taco

"Sunset Shimmer! Over here!", Pinkie waved to her

"Hey guys", Sunset Shimmer greeted us before she took a seat

"So how was the tour?", Applejack asked her

"I don't know. I mean, these girls, they were…there was something off about them", Sunset Shimmer looked a bit sad

"Like, off like this?", Pinkie placed her food on her face (seriously, she really did it), "Or like this? Or…Oh, oh! Like-"

"Maybe we should just let her tell us", Rainbow Dash smiled

"That's just it. I can't put my finger on it. They just acted sort of…..strange around me", Sunset Shimmer lowered her head, "Maybe somebody already talked to them. Told them about what I did", she sighed, "So much for making a good first impression"

"Uh-huh. Oh, that's probably not it", Fluttershy said

"Coooome on!", I yelled, "You think you feel discriminated or hated?"

"I am", she replied

"You got a guitar or something?", I asked Rainbow Dash. I thought that it was the perfect time to sing "The Messenger". Hey, duty calls so don't judge me lol

"Nope", Rainbow Dash replied

"Here's a guitar!", Pinkie handed me a blue acoustic guitar

"Where did you….", I tried to ask her where she got it from, "Never mind…ahem", I cleared my throat before I played some chords,

"_When you've suffered enough and your spirit is breaking,_

_You're growing desperate from the fight"_

I looked around and saw that most of the students had stopped doing whatever shit they were doing so they could hear me,

" _Remember you're loved and you'll always be,_

_This melody will bring you right back home"_

The girls had their eyes fixed on me, even Sunset Shimmer, who gave me a smile when I glanced at her.

"_When life leaves us blind, love keeps us kind,_

_When life leaves us blind, love keeps us kind,_

_O-whoa-oh, o-whoa-oh, o-whoa-oh, o-whoa-oh_

_O-whoa-oh, o-whoa-oh, o-whoa-oh, o-whoa-oh"_

I ended the song rather quickly seeing that I had everyone's attention.

"Whoo-hoo! Way to go, Azel!", Pinkie suddenly shouted which started a chain reaction of applauses.

"That was so awesome", Rainbow Dash took my guitar, "You have got to give me the lyrics of that"

"Sure thing", I replied before I turned to Sunset Shimmer, "Well, ya feel better or something?", I asked

"I am, thanks for asking", she nodded

"My pleasure", I nodded back before Fluttershy tugged me

"Umm..Azel?", she said

"What is it?", I asked

"Someone standing outside the cafeteria is calling you", she replied

"Chris?", I saw the black haired boy standing outside, "I won't be a minute", I told them as I left the table

"Damn!", he said as soon as I exited the cafeteria

"What's the matter?", I raised an eyebrow

"Nothing", he turned away, "The other members of our band are here", he told me before six boys appeared behind him.

"Hiiiiiii…..I'm Jeffrey", a boy with long black hair wearing a white hooded jacket grinned awfully close to me

"N-Nice to meet you, Jeffrey", I chuckled nervously before a blue haired boy extended his hand for a handshake, "And you are?", I asked the smaller boy

"I am Rake", he replied without an expression before he moved away to listen to his headphones

"Sorry, that lad doesn't talk much", the tallest of the group said. He wore a suit that Rarity would've fawned over and he had slick brown hair, "That name's Slendy. Good to see you, ol' chap", he patted me

"Same here", I replied

"Benjamin D. You can just call me Ben", a slightly smaller boy with long blonde hair and a green pointed hat introduced himself.

"Okay, Ben", I nodded before I decided to introduce myself, "Well, the name's Azel…Just Azel", I grinned nervously

"Heard you're a bloody ace with the guitars and at the art of rapping", Slendy placed an arm around me, "Mind you, I would dearly give two quids to Chris if you could blow me", he suddenly said

"E..Excuse me?", I raised an eyebrow at what he said. "Did he just ask me to…..No, he wouldn't, would he?", I thought.

**A/N : Hope ya'll get that last two sentences**

"Blow me? Surprise me? Dazzle me?", he shrugged

"Oh! That….", I heaved a sigh of relief, "That I could do"

"That will be so good", Slendy smiled before turning to Chris, "Hope I don't drop a clanger with this one", he nudged him

"Hope you bloody won't", Chris grinned

"So, what do you guys play?", I asked

"I get the bass", Jeff eerily grinned

"Lead vocals and pianos for me", Chris smirked

"I'm on the drums", Ben said

"I'm the disk-jockey", Slendy replied

"And Rake…what are you in the band?", I turned to Rake who was still listening to his headphones.

"Sometimes I think he's just plain barmy", Slendy shook his head, "He plays the guitar….rhythm guitar"

"Well, that's awesome. Even without me, you guys could seriously fucking rock", I was delighted to hear that they were able to cover up all the necessary instruments.

"So, what should be the name of our band?", Ben asked

"I dunno. Azel, you got any names?", Chris asked me

"Actually I have. It's C Pasta", I replied, "It has a meaning to it so don't judge me"

"No, ol' chap, I don't know about the others but I reckon that's a good name", Slendy assured me

"Same here", Chris nodded his approval

"Me gusta", Jeff gave me a huge smile

"Ditto", Ben added

"What about you, Rake? You like it or…oh!", I suddenly remembered what Slendy said

"Let's just leave him out of this for now", Chris chuckled nervously, "That settles it. Our band's name will be C Pasta!"

"So, when's the next time we'll play and shit?", I asked as the sounds coming from the cafeteria became louder and louder, "Damn, what the fuck are they doing in there?"

"Arguing and singing at the same time", Jeff replied, saying the first non-creepy thing for the first time

"Forget about it", Ben told me, "Err…about the rehearsal…..has Chris even signed us up yet?"

"Oh right! I totally forgot", Chris slapped himself for his absentmindedness, "I'll notify my mom as soon as I can"

"We'll think about the rehearsal when we're signed up", Jeff grinned as Chris left to talk to his mother, "See ya…..Azel", he laughed as he went away

"I'll be seeing you soon, ol' chap", Slendy gave me a friendly thump on the back before he left

"Come on, Rake", Ben pulled Rake away before turning to me, "I'll be seeing you too", he nodded

"Okay….", I said awkwardly before three girls exited the cafeteria, "No fucking way", I chuckled as I saw them

"Azel?", Adagio gulped as soon as she saw me

"Adagio, Aria and Sonata", I smirked, "I take it you're the new students?"

"I guess you could say that", Adagio hastily said before shoving Aria and Sonata out of my presence

"Adagio?", Aria raised an eyebrow

"Don't talk", she sternly said before turning to me, "Sorry but we've no time for chit-chat. It is good to see you though", she nervously grinned before she and the others left

"I guess it's good to see you too", I said awkwardly, "What was the all about?", I asked myself before the arguing noises sounded clearer and clearer, "What the fuck are they so angry about?", I thought before I realized something, "Please let it not be about Sunset Shimmer", I covered my face with my hands before the girls went through the cafeteria

"Those three are definitely in possession of some dark magic. How else could you explain what happened back there?", Sunset Shimmer told her friends before she noticed me, "Oh, hey Azel", she greeted me

"Sorry if I took so long. Chris introduced me to my new bandmates", I told them, "They were a bit….bizarre"

"On the contrary, darling. It was a good thing you were away from the cafeteria", Rarity said

"Say what?", I asked

"Those new students I told you about…I don't know how they did it but they managed to turn everyone in the cafeteria against each other", Sunset Shimmer replied

"That explains that", I remembered the green mist that was present when I first met the trio, "Are you sure?"

"We sure are", Applejack said

"I mean, you were in the cafeteria, why aren't you affected by the fuck-someone-up thingy going on?", I asked them

"Not sure about it either", Rainbow Dash replied, "All we know is, they need to go before they create more problems"

"Don't worry, ya'll", Applejack said, "We'll let Principal Celestia know all about this and those girls will be kicked to the curb in no time"

"Isn't that a bit harsh?", Fluttershy asked

"Hell no, it isn't", I shouted, "No one and I mean no one fucks shit up here while I'm around here", I added

"They already "fucked shit up"", Pinkie smiled, referring to what had just happened in the cafeteria

"No one fucks shit up twice", I corrected myself

"Last thing Principal Celestia needs is another CHS event almost ruined by a power crazed lunatic…", Applejack told me

"….who might threaten my burgers", I finished her sentence before both me and Applejack realized we said something wrong.

"Er, no offense", we gave nervous smiles to Sunset Shimmer

"None taken", she sighed as we reached the office.

"Knock knock", Pinkie giggled as she knocked at the door

"Enter", Celestia said before we all entered the office

"Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, we need to tell you something about those new students", Sunset Shimmer wasted no time in telling them about the new threat, "We believe they are in possession of dark magic. We all saw them instigate some problems in the cafeteria"

"Dark magic? I find that very hard to believe", Celestia replied, "Those girls came into my office earlier and were absolutely delightful"

"Ugh! Perhaps Sunset Shimmer is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element, so that her actions at the Fall Formal will become old news", Luna smirked

"I could see why you might think that, but…..", Sunset Shimmer tried to explain herself before she was cut off by Rainbow Dash

"That's not what's happening! We saw all of this go down in the cafeteria too!", she said

"Yes, but isn't your band supposed to be part of the Musical Showcase?", Celestia asked

"Yes", Rainbow Dash nervously replied

"Perhaps you're all just worried that the Dazzlings will steal your spotlight", Luna eyed the Rainbooms

"The "Dazzlings"?", Applejack asked

"It's the name of their musical group. That's why they came by my office earlier today - to sign up for the Showcase. Even sang a little song to Vice Principal Luna and I", Celestia smiled

"They did?", Applejack sounded surprised

"Yes. And we think having a Battle of the Bands instead is a marvelous idea", I could have sworn that their eyes glowed green for a split-sec.

"Battle of the Bands? Sounds awesome", I suddenly said

"Oh yeah! Azel also believes that the Dazzlings are nothing but trouble", Rainbow Dash suddenly realized that I was present

"I do?", I asked

"I'm afraid that won't change anything", Celestia said sternly.

Seeing that there was no way they could reverse their decisions, the group decided to head outside and think of a plan. As for me, I was just following them around for whatever reasons known or unknown.

"I can't believe they got to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna too", Fluttershy said as a ladybug landed on her finger.

"They've gotten to everybody", Rainbow Dash scowled while balancing a ball on her head

"Not everybody!", Pinkie smiled from the top of the portal-statue

"Pinkie Pie's right. We were there when the Dazzlings were singin' and we weren't affected. It was like we were protected somehow", Applejack said

"So let's take them down! It's not like we haven't tangled with dark magic before and totally whooped its sorry butt….", Rainbow Dash smirked

"…..before it could cause harm to my burgers", I added before me and Rainbow Dash realized we said something wrong…the second time for me

"Uh, no offense", we laughed nervously

"None taken", Sunset Shimmer sighed, "Again"

"But that was when Twilight was here. There may be some kind of magic inside us, but it only comes out when we play music. I sure don't know how to use it to….whoop anybody's butt", Fluttershy said as she watched the ladybug fly away

"Come again?", I asked. Fluttershy had said something that got my attention.

"What is it?", Rainbow Dash asked'

"What you just said, Fluttershy", I replied

"I…um…don't know how to whoop anybody's butt", she said

"Hahahah that was hilarious", I laughed before I controlled myself, "But not that. What you said before that"

"There must be some magic inside us that comes out only when we play music", she replied.

"You mean like the pony ears, longer hair and shit?", I asked

"Yep", Applejack replied

"We don't know why it happens but it totally makes my band 20% cooler", Rainbow Dash smirked

"Our band", the others groaned in annoyance

"I kinda wonder…..would it happen to mean if I played some shit or stuff?", I asked

"I dunno but there's a strong chance that it might", Applejack told me

"Well, then…fuck it. I ain't playing", I remembered those dumb pony ears and black streaks I got the last time I was here.

"Just because of one little detail?", Sunset Shimmer asked

"I guess that's a stupid thing to do", I grinned

"If only we could get a message to Twilight. Maybe she could tell us how to break the spell the Dazzlings have cast on our friends", Rarity sighed

"Well, that's not gonna happen. The portal's closed", Rainbow Dash said before kicking the ball towards the statue, causing Rarity to gasp, "And I get the feeling you don't exactly have cell phones where you're from", she told me

"I may have an idea how we can get in touch with Princess Twilight!", Sunset Shimmer suddenly got an idea.

"What?", I asked as they all followed Sunset Shimmer inside.

Soon, we stood behind Sunset Shimmer who was searching for something inside her locker.

"Got any idea what's she searching for?", I asked Rarity

"No, dear. Actually, this is the first time I've seen her look for something inside her locker", Rarity replied

Within a few seconds, Sunset Shimmer produced a dusty book with her cutie mark on its cover.

"When I was Princess Celestia's student back in Equestria, she gave me this", she cleaned the dust off it, "Even after I abandoned my studies, I held onto it. Deep down, I knew I was making a big mistake, and I wanted to still have a way to reach out to her. Maybe it still works", she flipped the pages.

"That's a book, darling", Rarity said, "What do you mean, "maybe it still works"?"

"It used to be that if I wrote something here, it would appear in the pages of a book back in Princess Celestia's library", Sunset Shimmer explained, "I get a message to her, then she can get a message to Princess Twilight"

"So what are you waiting for? Get to writing!", Rainbow Dash prompted her

"Been a long time since I've written these words", she sighed, "Dear Princess Celestia….."

"Princess Celestia?", Pinkie asked

"She's the counterpart of Principal Celestia", I replied

"Who's the big sister of Azel", Sunset Shimmer suddenly said

"Really? You just had to say that", I grinned as the other girls stared at me

"Sorry, slipped out", she gave me a smile before she continued writing

"The Principal Celestia in your world is your sister? Awesome!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"What is she like?", Rarity asked

"Everything that your Celestia is, except for the fact that our Celestia is a pony like the others and doesn't have a son", I replied

"Doesn't have a son? Yeh mean, yeh don't have a Chris in yer world?", Applejack asked

"Yep. Much like how your Celestia doesn't seem to have a brother", I told them before I turned to Sunset Shimmer, "You done?"

"Yes", Sunset Shimmer closed the book, "I've told them about the threats the Dazzlings might be to the school and to us"

"Can I add something? They must be so worried about me", I grabbed her pen before I started to write in rather jagged letters, "I'm okay. Thanks for asking…Azel"

"That's all?", Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow as I returned the book

"That's all", I smirked

"Well, if Princess Twilight can find a way to get here, it would probably be from the portal outside", Fluttershy said

"Fluttershy's right. Let's wait for her outside", Rainbow Dash told the others before we headed outside again

While the other girls did whatever they did to pass the time, I took the time to practice goal keeping with Rainbow Dash.

"Here it goes!", Rainbow Dash said before kicking a curveball right towards me which whizzed a few inches past my head and straight into the goal

"I wasn't ready", I laughed nervously as Rainbow Dash prepared another shot

"This one's going in too", she kicked the ball hard

"Lol nope", I grinned as I saved the shot, "Next!", I smirked as she placed another ball in front of her

After another eight shots, we were at a draw yet again. I saved five shots and she scored the same amount.

"Man, you've got some powerful legs", I commented as we sat near Sunset Shimmer

"And you've got some awesome hands", she returned the compliment, "I'm starting to think Twilight's not coming"

The next moment, Twilight and Spike literally flew out of the statue.

As me and the other girls stared at her in shock, Sunset Shimmer ran over and offered a hand to Twilight. After a few seconds of hesitation, Twilight accepted the help.

"Twilight!", the others gave her a huge hug.

"Oof. I'm back", Twilight said

"And little doge dude too", I picked Spike up, "Yep, you just couldn't leave me alone could you?", I smirked

"Sorry", Twilight smiled sheepishly

"I'm guessin' you took Sunset Shimmer's message as a chance to get to me", I deduced it, "That's why I love you two", I grinned

"Err….thanks", Spike chuckled

"And I've got some bad news about those new girls", Twilight told them

"Awww….", the others groaned as we headed towards a store.

On the way to Mr. and Mrs. Cake's Sweet Shoppe Twilight explained to them that the girls may be sirens and also told the others about how they were banished from Equestria by ….ugh….Star Swirl. Well, that kinda explained what the Dazzlings told me when I first met them.

"A cup of coffee with beer", I whispered to Mr. Cake

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking beer?", Mr. Cake asked as he handed me a cup of joe with beer

"Yes, yes I am", I replied before I joined the girls, sitting between Fluttershy and Applejack

"Oh, I do hate that you had to return at a time of crisis. There's so much catching up to do!", Rarity told Twilight

"For starters, a certain blue haired guitar player was just askin' about you", Applejack said

"Waifu…..mess him…fuck…..shit….stealer", I growled when I heard that

"Flash Sentry was asking about me?!", Twilight said excitedly before she noticed the others, "Isn't that nice?", she nervously chuckled, sipping her milkshake

"Perhaps you would give us just the slightest bit of gossip from your world?", Rarity asked

"She's got an official title now", Spike replied before imitating fanfare, "The Princess of Friendship!"

"Wow, that's really impressive. Guess you really were Princess Celestia's prized pupil", Sunset Shimmer said

"She's even got her own castle", Spike added

"A castle!? You have your own castle?! Eh….", Rarity managed to stop herself before she went full-Pinkie, "Ooh, uh, lovely"

"Hello? Isn't anyone going to ask me about the shit I did?", I mumbled as I finished my coffee

"Oh right, what did you do, Azel?", Rainbow Dash asked

"Well, I….um…..", I turned to Spike, "Tell 'em", I nudged the dog

"He saved Equestria from an invasion and helped defeat a magic stealing….what was that word again?", he asked me

"Goatface asshole", I replied

"Right….goatface asshole", he said proudly

"Wow, that is so awesome", Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up

"Invasion? What kind of invasion?", Fluttershy asked

"A Cyling invasion. They are like changelings but they're actually robots", Spike replied

"What are changelings?", Applejack asked

"Changelings are these creatures that can….", Spike tried to explain in detail what a changeling was before I interrupted him

"Yeah….that'll be enough for now, doge. Though I might like it, let's not make this about me", I covered his mouth before turning to Twilight, "Moving on"

"What's new here?", Twilight asked, "I mean, besides your school becoming the target of dangerous magical creatures from Equestria?"

"Yeah, so, that isn't the only strange thing that's happened since you left", Rainbow Dash took out her cell phone and showed Twilight a video of her having pony ears, wings and hair extensions while she played the guitar, "Pretty sweet, huh? It happens to all of us when we play", she added

"Hmm. My crown was returned to Equestria, but some of its magic must have remained here at Canterlot High", Twilight said, "Now that we're all back together, we can use that magic on the sirens. Just like when we were able to use it on Sunset Shimmer when she turned into that horrifyingly awful winged monster!", she continued

"…who threatened the safety of my burgers!", I added before realizing I had said something wrong…..for the third time

"No offense", me and Twilight told Sunset Shimmer

"None taken. Heh, I'm used to it". she smirked

"They'll never even know what hit 'em!", Rainbow Dash began to show off some weird shitty moves before she nearly landed a fist right at my face

"Eeep!", I squeaked as the fist was stopped by Applejack

"We've got nothin' to worry about now that Twilight's back", Applejack said

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I could find something to worry about…..But it won't be the sirens", Fluttershy hugged Spike

"The sooner we do this, the better", Twilight said, "Any idea where the Dazzlings might be?", she asked before Pinkie raised her hand

"There's a big party tonight for all the bands who signed up to be in the showcase! That would include the Dazzlings", Pinkie finished her milkshake, leaving a stain on her cheek

"Looks like we've a party to crash", Twilight smirked before cleaning the stain on Pinkie's cheek.

"Party?", I asked

"What's the matter?", Rarity asked back

"I've got to go know. I need to meet the other members of my band", I left the table

"You're in a band?", Twilight looked surprised

"Sure am", I smirked as I left the shop.

Within a few minutes, I met up with Chris and the others and we decided to rehearse a song before the party. To my surprise, Chris was actually a great singer and screamer and pianist. The others were also awesome with their own instruments and we seemed to have this weird ass chemistry together which kinda worked.

"…._An addict to the panic of my confine!", _I finished the rap on the first song we were suppose to perform. Just as I suspected, the pony ears and shit did appear on me but Chris and the others didn't seem to notice it or at least they appeared not to.

"And that's a wrap for now. The party's in three minutes", Jeff told us the time. To be honest, he seemed a lot less creepy than in our first meeting.

"That was a jolly good pace you were keeping up, old chap. What was the name of the song again?", Slendy asked me as Ben and Rake quickly disappeared

"Esaul", I replied as the pony ears and black streaks disappeared, "It's an old Linkin Pony Demo"

"And judging from that smell, I reckon you fancy some pints", Slendy smirked

"What?", I asked

"He says you smell like you drank some beer", Chris replied

"Oh yeah, sorry, it's my second favorite drink after coffee", I smiled sheepishly

"Where's Rake and Ben?",Chris looked for any signs of the two

"They're probably already at the party", Jeff said

"We better be going too", I told them before we made our way towards the school gym.

**A/N : And this one's D to the O to the N to the E. The next one's coming soon so stay tuned (that rhymed!)**


	27. Chapter 27 : Place to Rest

**Chapter 27 : Place to Rest**

**A/N : 27****th**** Chapters and countin'. Thanks for all the support, reviews and questions. Keep em comin'.**

"What's the time?", Ben asked Jeff as we reached the gym.

"It's almost 4", Jeff replied, shoving a cookie down his mouth

"Do you have to go?", Chris asked them as the others prepared to exit the gym

"Where're you going?", I was surprised that they had to leave so early.

"Sorry mate, but we've just some stuff to do", Slendy patted me as they left

"What stuff?", I asked Chris

"I'm not exactly sure either", he replied before he noticed the absence of Celestia and Luna, "I'm gonna meet my mom. I have to tell her something", he told me as he ran away

"Great…alone again", I chuckled before Chris bumped into Fluttershy

"Eeep", Chris looked like he had just seen a ghost or something

"Oh, sorry, Chris", Fluttershy respectfully bowed before she headed towards me

"What was that all about?", I signaled Chris who just merely ran away, "Crazy kid", I muttered before I turned to Fluttershy, "Where're the others?"

"There they are", she pointed towards Twilight and the others who were near the food and drinks.

"So, Azel. Where'd you run off to?", Rarity asked

"Our band's just finished rehearsing a song", I told them, "Though we may change it a little"

"That's cool", Applejack said, "Seems like you're gettin' along really well with your new friends even though you just met them"

"Anyway", I looked around and saw that the other students were casting glares at one another, "Looks like the Dazzlings' spell still hasn't worn off"

"Yeah, I don't know how long I can take all of this conflict and animosity", Sunset Shimmer said

"Hey, Azel, you have to try these cookies", Pinkie smiled at me with a mouth full of cookies

"Why not", I shrugged before I joined Pinkie in devouring the tray of cookies

"Where're your band members? Aren't they going to show up?", Twilight asked

"They must have some urgent matter to attend to. They've all gone somewhere", I replied with a mouth full of chocolate-chip cookies.

"I wonder where the Dazzlings are?", Twilight asked as she walked away, only to bump into waifu stealer who managed to catch her before she could fall.

"You want to get fucked up?", I glared daggers at the blue haired boy

"You okay?", Spike asked

"Lol...nope", I groaned

"Twilight?", Flash asked in surprise as he saw Twilight

"Eh, bumped, into, always, doing?", Twilight stammered while blushing

"What are you doing here? You came back for the big competition, right?", Flash guessed

"Something like that", Twilight replied

"Huh. Not that there's gonna be any real competition. No one here wants this as bad as my band does", Flash sounded like he had this thing won already

The next moment, the Dazzlings made their entrance.

"Why those meddling girls...", I growled as I tried to walk towards them, only to be stopped by the girls

"Azel, calm down! Not yet!", Applejack managed to pull me back

"No one fucks shit up here! No one!", I scowled as I cooled down.

Rainbow Dash then used a chocolate chip to get Twilight's attention who quickly made her way towards us after excusing herself

"Mmm...cookies", I sighed as I kept on eating with Pinkie before noticing that the girls were starting to get their plan together, "Biscuits", I groaned as me and Pinkie stuffed cookies inside our hair.

"Ya think this shit will work?", I asked Sunset Shimmer as we stood away from Twilight and the others

"Maybe", she sounded unsure

"Cookie?", I handed her a cookie from my hair

"Err...no thanks", she smiled nervously

"Suit yourself", I smirked before eating the cookie

"There isn't going to be a Battle of the Bands!", Twilight announced as she and her friends held hands, "We're gonna make sure of that! Alright, girls, let's do this!", she gave a confident smirk, "Friendship is magic!", she shouted

After a few seconds of uncomfortably awkward silence, I whispered to Sunset Shimmer, "Well, this is fucking embarrassing", I told her

"What's wrong? I was sure it was gonna work", she replied

"Uh, weren't there rainbows and lasers and stuff last time?", Rainbow Dash asked Twilight

"I don't understand. We're all together again. Why isn't this working?", Twilight asked herself

"You, uh...really need to go ahead and do that whole "magic of friendship" thing now", Spike popped his head out of Twilight's backpack

"I'm trying, Spike", she whispered, "I thought that six of us standing together against the sirens would bring out the magic we needed to defeat them. That's what happened before"

"Talk about throwing down the gauntlet!", Adagio said loudly, "This group is obviously serious about winning! A little cocky though, aren't they?", she smirked, "Claiming there won't really be a battle. Seems they think they already got this thing all locked up"

"Not if the Great and Powerful Trrrrrrixie has anything to do with it!", Trixie announced

"Whatever, Trixie! We're the best band at CHS!", Flash retorted

"No! The Crusaders are gonna win!", a little squirt, presumably Applejack's little sister said before the other students joined in the arguing

"Well, that went well", I smirked as I followed the girls outside.

In a few minutes, the girls began to discuss about what had happened in the gym outside the school.

"It doesn't make any sense. I should have been able to create the spark that would help us break their spell. That's how it worked before", Twilight said

"But to defeat me, you drew magic from the crown I was wearing", Sunset Shimmer added, "The sirens' magic comes from their music. So maybe you have to use the same kind of magic to defeat them. Or...maybe not"

"No. I think you're onto something", Twilight had that "sudden idea" look on her face.

"Really?", Sunset Shimmer asked

"It's when you play music that you transform now, right?", Twilight asked the others

"Yup. Ears, tails, the whole shebang", Applejack replied

"Happened to me. Wasn't proud of it", I groaned

"When?", Spike asked

"While we were rehearsing our song. It was pretty strange that Chris and the boys didn't seem to notice it", I told them

"Well, that is strange", Twilight said before she continued, "Anyway, maybe the way to use that magic to defeat the sirens is by playing a musical counter spell!"

"You mean like a song?", Fluttershy asked

"Uh-huh. And in order to free everyone who's been exposed to the sirens' spell, we'll need them all to hear it", Twilight replied

"Question : Where the fuck are you going to get them all to hear it?", I raised an arm

"The band competition!", Rarity gasped, "That's the next time we can be certain everyone will be in the same place at the same time"

"Guess the Rainbooms are the band to beat", Applejack smirked

"And I believe you, Twilight, just became the Rainbooms' newest member", Rarity said as the others cheered

"So what do you wanna play? Triangle? Sousaphone? Theremin?", Pinkie began producing musical instruments from who knows where, "Soooo magical", she cooed after playing the Theremin

"I might take a little too long to learn how to play something with these", she said nervously, "I'll just sing"

"Like, as in, lead singer?", Rainbow Dash asked. Apparently, she wasn't expecting that, "Cuz that's usually my gig. This being my band and all"

"It's our band!", Applejack corrected her, "And, of course, as lead singer, she's the one with the magical know-how to help us pull this thing off"

"Okay, yeah, that's cool", Rainbow Dash gave in, "I'll just use this as a chance to hone my already insanely good lead guitar skills"

"Not as good as mine", I whispered to Spike

"Huh?", Spike raised an eyebrow, "Oh right...wow much confidence very proud", he grinned

"Good doge", I patted him

"It's only temporary. And we don't have to win the Battle of the Bands. We just have to perform during the first round of the competition", Twilight said

"Let's get to learning that musical counter-spell!", Rainbow Dash told the others

"Well, that's just it. I don't know any", Twilight said lowly before the other girls groaned, "But I'm sure I could figure out how to write one", she smiled nervously

"Totally! Twilight can write a spell like it's nobody's business", Spike said proudly, "That's pretty much how she got to become a princess in Equestria"

"Technically, I helped finish a spell", Twilight added, "And there was a little more to it than that, Spike"

"Yeah, whatever", Spike shrugged

"I've got this", Twilight said before she headed towards the school, "C'mon!", she turned to me and Spike

"Where're you goin'?", Applejack raised an eyebrow

"Well, last time we were here, Spike, Azel and I spent the night in the library", Twilight replied

"Reading creepypastas and shit", I grinned

"You just had to remind me of that?", Spike asked, annoyed at the returning bad memories

"Sorry, doge", I faked an apology.

"Are you crazy?!", Pinkie screamed before hugging Twilight, "We're besties now! Slumber party at my house!"

"Wow...thanks", Twilight seemed genuinely happy

"Meh, I'll take it", I wasn't going to pass an opportunity to not sleep on books this time

"Hey! Azel!", I could hear Chris' voice from the school before it relented, "Eep! Fluttershy!", I heard him say

"Who was that?", Twilight asked me

"A friend", I replied as a mischievous grin appeared on my face before I turned to Fluttershy, "Fluttershy, could you please see who it is?", I asked politely

"Sure", she nodded before she headed inside

A few seconds later, a heavily blushing Chris exited the school followed by a smiling Fluttershy

"I've got some bad news", Chris glared at me. He was obviously pissed off at me for sending Fluttershy to fetch him, "Our band's not entered into the Battle of the Bands"

"What!?", I exclaimed

"Sorry, forgot to tell mom about it. And when I tried to talk to her again, she had already gone home", he replied

"Well, that's a bummer", I groaned

"Too bad. I was really looking forward to seeing your band perform", Rarity said

"Maybe we can. As a special act or something", I told them of my idea

"That might work", Chris scratched his head before he went away, "I'll see you tomorrow", he waved goodbye

"Same to you", I waved back before I turned to Twilight who was staring at me, "What?", I asked

"That's Principal Celestia's son?", she whispered as the girls began to head over to Pinkie's house

"Yep", I replied

"Are you sure he isn't your counterpart?", she asked

"Sure am. I believe we're both exclusive to our worlds", I answered before I joined the others.

Isn't it a bit awkward for a guy to be at a girl's slumber party? Of course it is, but I wasn't gonna let a chance to sleep in a proper place around here pass me by.

Anyway, after a delicious taco dinner, the girls and I were all getting ready for bed. They did one thing or the other as we huddled up in Pinkie's bedroom. However, I was starting to feel a little bit uncomfortable so I decided to make myself some coffee.

"Pinkie, mind if I go and make some coffee?", I asked her

"Sure, help yourself", she giggled before she turned to her laptop, "Status update : "Okie-dokie-lokie"", she typed something

"Anyone else want some coffee?", I looked around but they were too busy with their stuff so I decided to go alone.

In a minute, the coffee was all done and I returned to the bedroom, only to be almost run over by six stampeding girls

"Sorry", they apologized as they passed me

"Geez, what the fuck's gotten into them?", I chuckled before I entered the bedroom, "Twilight? You okay?", I asked the lone girl sitting on the bed

"Umm..wha….oh, I'm okay", she sighed, closing the book she was using to write the counter-spell in

"You sure?", I sat next to her, "Coffee?", I held a cup in front of her

"No thanks", she replied

"Suit yourself", I shrugged before drinking the whole thing in one go

Suddenly, Pinkie appeared with a slice of pizza in her mouth, "Don't you want any pizza?", she asked before disappearing

"Come on", a satisfied grin came across my face, mostly due to the mention of the word "pizza", "Let's eat"

Two boxes of pizzas and an hour later, everyone else was asleep. Due to the coffee I drank, there was no way I was going to bed straightaway so I retired to the kitchen, sitting on the floor while staring idly at the kitchen light.

"Knock", I could hear a muffled voice say before the window pane behind me was tapped from the outside

"Huh?", I instantly turned around to see if someone was there, "Must be the wind", I shrugged before I continued staring at the light bulb above me

"Go. To. Sleep", I heard an eerie voice whisper into my left ear

"Oh shit!", I turned to my side to find myself sitting face to face with Jeff the Killer, "HOLY NUGGETS!", I yelled before he placed his hand on my mouth

"Shut up! You'll wake my cousin up", Jeff shushed me, losing the maniacal grin and the wild eyes, "It's me, Jeffrey", he added

"What?", I tried to shout again, only to be slapped by him

"Shut the hell up…..", he growled before he resumed the Jeff the Killer face

"Wait…..you're Jeff the Killer?", I asked

"Yup", he grinned, freaking me out big time

"Stop scaring the lad", I heard Slendy's voice from the other side of the kitchen. As the light shone on him, I could see his faceless pale white head and the thin figure he possessed, complete with the ghostly tentacles behind him.

"I wasn't scaring him", Jeff chuckled before he pulled me to my feet

"I'm terribly sorry for this bloke's stupid behavior", Slendy said

"Wha-wha-wha…", I stammered. Two of the scariest myths to ever exist, right in front me. Talk about being mindfucked.

"I guess you oughta explain it to him before he loses it", Ben appeared from out of nowhere

"You explain it", Jeff shot back

"M-Me!?", Ben sounded nervous, "No way! Nope!", he protested

"I am Rake", a thin hairless figure with long claws crawled near me

"I'll explain it to the poor chap", Slendy stepped between them, "This is why we left early today", he continued, "You see, we turn into these characters at night by some means"

"We look absolutely horrific" Jeff grinned

"So…..are you guys….killers?…..murderers?", I asked

"Like you…we are", Ben replied

"Then are you here to…..kill me?", I tried to sound like I wasn't about to piss on myself

"On the contrary, ol' chap, we're here to help you", Slendy's reply calmed me down a bit

"The Sirens are going to be a problem in our…work", Ben added

"We need to dispose of them…..one way or another", Jeff creepily sharpened a bloodstained knife

"But we can't kill them. That's the problem. They're protected by some form of magic", Ben said

"Bane's magic to be exact", Slendy told me, "Oh, we all know about Bane. He was the one who let us loose on this world"

"Bane? Can't say I didn't expect that", I smirked, "So, are you guys like, fucking old?"

"We've been here longer than you can guess", Ben replied

"Murders sustain us. No more death. No more us", Jeff said

"So, what do you say, ol' sport? You accept our help or not?", Slendy extended his help

"Y-Yeah, why not?", I smiled sheepishly as I accepted it

"Good then, we'll meet you tomorrow morning and we'll rehearse again", Slendy gave me an invisible smile

"Question : Aren't you guys able to get rid of the Dazzlings by yourselves?", I asked as they prepared to leave

"The Dazzlings are more powerful than we are", Ben answered, "Plus, they can easily put us under their spell if we slip even once"

"It sucks", Jeff grinned before they all vanished into thin air.

"O-Okay", I tried to process what the fuck had just happened, "Did I just meet creepypasta characters?", I asked myself before I sat on the floor

"Yes, yes you did", Slendy sent me a telepathic message

"Damn!", I laughed like a maniac, "Well, that explains that", I remembered Chris introducing me to them earlier that day.

"Azel? You're awake?", Twilight asked as she entered the kitchen holding a book

"Can't sleep", I mumbled before I stood up, "What're you doing?"

"I have to finish the counter spell as soon as possible", she replied before she sat on a chair, "And it has to be perfect!", she began to write using her mouth

"What a way to spend Christmas, huh?", I chuckled

"Yep. Never thought I'd be spending it here", she smiled

"Lemme see that", I grabbed the book from her

"H-Hey! I'm not finished yet", she tried to take the book back.

"I know…I just wanna see how you're doing?", I grinned before I flipped the pages, only to find some scribbles, "What in the world is this?", I raised an eyebrow

"It's a work in progress", she smiled nervously

"So, apparently, you plan to defeat the Dazzlings by shooting laser bolts from your mouth", I joked, "And what's with these weird wavy lines and shit?"

"Give me that!", she quickly grabbed the book, "I'm still working on it", she scowled

"Hey, I'm just messing around", I chuckled, "Well to tell you the truth, ever since you managed to defeat Sunset Shimmer, I've never had doubts about your abilities so you have my trust and I believe you will pull through in the end", I admitted

"That's nice of you", she gave me a little hug

"Yeah…..just keep working on the spell and oh, I want to shoot laser bolts too", I grinned

"Knock it off", she smiled while she wrote some more stuff before spitting the pen out of my mouth, "No. That's not gonna work"

"Hey, Twilight. You're up late", Sunset Shimmer suddenly appeared, startling me

"WAAAH!", I yelled before realizing it was just Sunset Shimmer

"Wow, still haven't gotten over that, have you?", Sunset Shimmer joked

"Nope", I sat next to Twilight

"I'm just looking over the counter-spell", Twilight told her, "We only get one shot at this. It has to be perfect"

"We really are lucky you're here", Sunset Shimmer smiled before she opened the fridge

"That's what everyone keeps telling me", Twilight sighed

"Who could possibly need this much whipped cream?", Sunset Shimmer asked as she saw the contents of the fridge

"Whipped cream?", I asked back. Something clicked in my mind.

"Yep, there's a whole bunch of it. Actually, it's all there is in the fridge", Sunset Shimmer replied

"You two are so lucky to be awake right now", I grinned before I grabbed two cans of whipped cream

"I know that look, Azel", Twilight said

"Sorry, Twilight. But my prank senses are tingling", I chuckled as I stealthily made my way towards the bedroom where the others were sleeping.

I grabbed a feather on the way before using it to lightly tickle the girls' faces. As I expected, they made an involuntary swiping movement with their hands.

"WAAAH!", I could hear Sunset Shimmer's muffled scream from the kitchen

"Talk about karma", I grinned before I shifted my focus to the girls, "Excellent", I whispered to myself before I sprayed whipped cream on their hands.

Another tickle with the feather and…..Splat!

The girls' faces were covered with whipped cream in a second.

"Azel!", they all screamed at me as I laughed at them.

"Uh-oh!", I snickered as I tried to run away, trying my hardest not to let them catch me.

"You're not getting away with this", Rainbow Dash growled before she tackled me.

"Guess I'm not", I laughed at their cream-covered faces

"What was that for?", Rarity asked as she joined the others in pinning me down

"Prank lol", I replied before the girls began to laugh as well

"Let's give him a taste of his own medicine", Applejack grinned before she grabbed a can of whipped cream

"Oh shit", I groaned as the cream made contact with my face, covering it all in a few seconds.

"You look like Santa Claus", Fluttershy giggled

"I do?", I asked before Pinkie handed me a mirror, "Hohoho….yeah, this sucks", I chuckled at the face staring back at me

"What's happening?", Sunset Shimmer asked as she and Twilight entered the bedroom

"Santa's here!", Pinkie pulled me up

"Hohoho…..Merry Christmas, ya'll", I grinned

"Azel?", Twilight giggled at the mere sight of the Beast of Tartarus

"They got me", I shrugged as Sunset and the others cleaned me up and themselves, "Thanks, girls"

"We really should get some sleep", Applejack told the others as they finished cleaning themselves

"Yeah, Applejack's right. Go. To. Sleep", I grinned as they headed to their respective places

I slept rather easily and without any nightmares about creepypastas. The morning came by rather quickly but since it was not my house, I had no choice but to wake up on time.

The girls told me that they were going to practice Twilight's counter spell at Applejack's place so that I'd know where to find them if I'd need them.

"Hey Azel", Chris was the first of my band to greet me as I left Pinkie's house

"Chris…..and oh…..", I remembered the encounter from last night when I saw the others

"It's alright, ol' chap", Slendy gave me a friendly slap on the back

"Forget what happened last night", Ben told me

"What happened?", Chris asked

"Nothing", Jeff gave him a huge grin

"Okay…..I'm afraid I've got some bad news", Chris said

"What?", I prayed that it wasn't some burger shortage or something

"We can't rehearse at the school", Chris replied, "Only the signees are allowed"

"Too bad someone forgot to sign us up!", Jeff yelled

"Hey, I'm not perfect, you know", Chris retorted

"Well, where are we going to rehearse then?", Ben asked

"I have no idea", Slendy replied before he turned to me, "Got any places, ol' chap?"

"Actually I have", I suddenly remembered Twilight telling me that they were going to rehearse in Applejack's barn, "Follow me"

"Where?", Ben asked

"The Rainbooms are rehearsing some place nearby. I'm pretty fucking sure they'll allow us to practice once they're done", I replied, "Besides you guys have never met each other"

"The Rainbooms? Fluttershy is in the band, is she not?", Chris asked nervously

"She is! Come on!", Jeff grabbed Chris before he could escape

"Noooooo!", Chris began screaming like heck as the hooded boy dragged him along towards the Sweet Apple Acres.

**A/N : Well, whew! Managed to upload this right at Christmas. Merry Christmas, ya'll. See you next chapter.**


	28. Chapter 28 : Guilty All The Same

**Chapter 28 : Guilty All The Same**

**A/N : Welcome to the 28****th**** Chapter of this fanfic. Keep the support comin' and thanks to all who read the previous chapters. You guys are awesome!**

Me and the rest of the C Pasta arrived at Sweet Apple Acres in exactly thirty three minutes. We were all a bit exhausted from the walking but we were glad we didn't take too much time.

"You guys coming or what?", I asked them as they all slumped to the ground

"We'll...be right with you, ol' chap", Slendy panted

"On second thought, we'll wait here until you're sure we can rehearse", Jeff grinned between pants

"Hell no", I shoved them all towards a barn from where music was coming from, "You're meeting them and that's that"

"Meet Fluttershy?", Chris shuddered

"I still don't know why you're so scared of Fluttershy", Ben chuckled

"I'm not!", Chris blushed

"Yeah...whatever", I said before I stood near the entrance of the barn, "I'll give ya'll a heads up for when you can come in, alright?", I told them

"Sure thing", Jeff gave me a thumbs up as I entered the barn.

The girls had finished practicing their song and were busy talking to each other when I walked in

"Oh, you can never have enough costumes!", I heard a robotic voice that sounded like Rarity

"She just wants to make things fun! Isn't that what being in a band supposed to be?", Pinkie played the rim shot angrily

"Calm down, Pinkie", I snickered, "Nice Daft Punk costume", I commented as I saw Rarity wearing an outfit.

"See! He appreciates it!", Rarity told Applejack

"Hey Azel", Applejack ignored Rarity, "We've just finished practicin' our counter-spell"

"How's it going?", I asked

"It could get better", Twilight gave me a nervous chuckle

"Uh-huh. Well if ya'll are done here, would you mind if me and the boys rehearse here?", I asked

"Sure thing. Yeh can also use our instruments if yeh like", Applejack said

"Hey, can we watch?", Rainbow Dash suddenly asked

"You don't have time for this! You're supposed to check in at the Battle of the Bands in fifteen minutes", Sunset Shimmer said, causing the others to gasp

"What? But it's not ready! If we play our counter-spell in the first round and it doesn't work, the sirens will know what we're up to and make sure we don't get a chance to play it", Twilight gasped before dropping her microphone, resulting in a screeching feedback which made all of us cringe

"Then we'll have to buy ourselves some time so you can keep workin' on it!", Applejack replied

"But how do you propose we do that?", Rarity asked

"We compete in the Battle of the Bands for real!", Rainbow Dash suggested, "I take over lead vocals again and we stay alive until the finals! We unleash the counter-spell then!", she added before turning to Twilight, "You'll have figured it out by the finals, right?"

"Of course she will", Spike said before Twilight could answer, "Twilight Sparkle's never met a problem she couldn't solve. Right, Twilight?"

"Right", Twilight replied in a not-so-confident tone

"Then let's go win us a Battle of the Bands!", Rainbow Dash shouted as they left the barn

"Damn...looks like we might have to wing it then", I told Twilight as we headed out

"Where're your band members anyway?", she asked me

"There they are", I saw them standing near the road. I quickly made my way towards them before the girls could reach them.

"What took you so long, ol' chap?", Slendy was the first to greet me, "So, are we going to rehearse or not?"

"Sorry guys, the Rainbooms need their instruments to perform", I told them as the girls approached us

"These are your bandmates?", Twilight asked

"Yep", I began to introduce them to the Rainbooms, "This guy's Rake", I pointed to the headphone wearing guy behind me

"He doesn't talk much", Chris added as Rake simply nodded

"Really? That's strange", Rainbow Dash commented

"It sure is, but he's more of a guy of action if you know what I mean", Chris replied

"And you already met Chris, I believe", I said, "Especially you, Fluttershy?"

"Yes, it's always a pleasure meeting you, Chris", Fluttershy gave him a polite handshake, making Chris blush wildly

"Y-You too", he barely managed to say before he glared at me

"This big guy's Slendy", I told the girls before Slendy proceeded to give each one of them a handshake

"I'm Slendy. Pleasure to meet you all here", Slendy said with a smile on his face

"My! That suit...where and how did you make this?", Rarity fawned over his suit. Called it!

"Well, all I had to do was order some fine linen overseas, the best cottons from the other hemisphere, send them to best sewing company in this side of the world and bob's your uncle, an ace suit for me to wear", Slendy smirked

"What?", Rarity asked

"He got the suit from his daddy's company", Chris replied

"It's true. Hey, did you know that nearly thirty years ago...", Slendy tried to tell a story before he was stopped by Ben

"That's enough, Slendy", Ben interrupted him

"Oh, this guy with the green hat of destiny is Ben", I said

"Umm...yeah...nice to meet you", Ben smiled awkwardly

"Nice hat. Where'd you get it? Where can I get it? Do you always wear it like Applejack? How much did you pay for it? Is there another one?", Pinkie suddenly asked questions at light-speed

"That's enough, Pinkie", Applejack pulled her away

"And last but not least, Jeff", I introduced the final member of our band

"Hiiiiiii", Jeff gave them a wide grin, making the girls feel uneasy

"Jeff!", Chris scolded him

"Sorry, my bad", Jeff apologized before he lost his crazed look, "Name's Jeff, short for Jeffrey", he began to shake the girls' hands, much to their surprise

"Cousin Jeff? You're in a band!?", Pinkie squealed

"Of course I am, Cousin Pinkie", Jeff replied

"Come again?", I asked. It was real shocker hearing the relation between our bassist and their drummer.

"We're cousins", they both grinned

"Well, can't say I expected that", I smiled, "Anyway, the six of us...we're C Pasta!", I announced

"And we don't have any gigs yet", Ben groaned, "We should call ourselves 1023MB if it keeps up like this"

The girls then introduced themselves and in a few minutes, we were all happily chatting. To my relief, none of the girls knew that these guys sans Chris were all killers when night fell.

Soon, we reached the auditorium where the event was taking place.

"You girls should get ready backstage", I told the Rainbooms

"Azel", Chris tugged me

"What is it?", I asked

"Go join them and give them support or whatever. It's okay with us", Chris said

"Really? Awesome", I gave him a fist bump before I joined the Rainbooms backstage while the other members of C Pasta sat amongst the other students.

"Welcome to the first ever Canterlot High School Battle of the Bands", Celestia officially opened the event, "I believe I speak for everyone when I say it is by far the greatest thing we have ever done here at this school!"

"Yeah...so awesome", I sarcastically said

"Shhh...listen", Sunset Shimmer hushed me

"Hope waifu stealer's band gets eliminated early", I grinned

"What?", Fluttershy asked

"Nothing", I replied

"We are so glad our three newest students encouraged us to turn this event into something exciting!", Celestia added

"But as this is now a competition, we can only choose one winner. Who is it going to be?", Luna asked, causing a chain reaction of arguing

"Looks like your former lackeys are up first", I nudged Sunset Shimmer as Snips and Snails took the stage

"Thanks", she sarcastically replied

The duo performed amateur freestyling and shit. The only interesting thing they got out of their act was a reprimanding from Celestia for dropping the microphones

"In your face, Rainbooms!", Snips sneered as they passed the girls

"Least we know one group who won't stand in the way of us gettin' to the finals", Applejack smirked

"You're next, right?" I asked

"Yep! Let's get ready to rock!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"Wait! Where's Rarity?", Pinkie asked

"Oh! Here! I'm here!", Rarity arrived, wearing a hippie inspired outfit with metal fringes, "We will be performing in front of an audience. I'm not going to wear something fabulous? Hmph"

"Guh...", Applejack said in disgust

"Remember, we have to be good enough to make it through but not so good we let the sirens see the magic within us", Twilight told the others, "They could realize we plan to use it against them"

"Got it!", Rainbow Dash replied, "Be cool enough to win, but not so cool that we end up showing off the whole ears and tails and rainbows thing. Sooo...about twenty percent less cool"

"Whatever...just rock the fuck out!", I gave them a thumbs up as they headed to the stage, "What song are they singing?", I asked Sunset Shimmer

"Shake Your Tail", she replied as they started to play

"_We've just got the day to get ready,_

_And there's only so much time to lose_

_Because tonight, yeah, we're here to party_

_So let's..."_

"Boooring", I groaned

"They're going smoothly for the time being", Sunset Shimmer said, "Where are you going?", she asked me as I decided to get a cup of coffee

"Gonna get a coffee...want one?", I asked back

"No thanks", she replied

"Suit yourself", I shrugged as I headed to the back and towards the coffee shop on the other side of the school

"Why aren't you inside the auditorium?", Mrs. Cake asked me as she handed me my coffee

"Need coffee", I simply replied, handing her some dollars, "And a few cookies", I added

After a few seconds, I was on my way back to the auditorium when I saw waifu stealer and his band standing near the entrance.

"Well, if it isn't waif...I mean Flash Sentry", I walked right past them, "You guys are so lucky our band isn't in the competition", I smirked, ignoring their replies

Some swift maneuvering over some wires and cables and I was back in the backstage area where Ben was talking with Sunset Shimmer.

"He said he was going to get some coffee, he'll be back soon", Sunset Shimmer told Ben before she saw me, "Oh, there he is", she pointed to me

"Oh...Azel, there you are", Ben said, "Chris' got something important to tell us", he added. Judging from the sounds from the stage, I could easily deduce that the Rainbooms had just finished their number.

"Well, it has to wait a bit", I grinned while sipping the coffee. The next moment, Rarity whizzed past me.

"Ruined! Absolutely ruined!", she cried, her makeup running down her face. The metal fringes on her outfit were off.

"Wonder what happened?", I asked myself

"You'll see", Sunset Shimmer sighed as the rest of the Rainbooms entered the backstage area.

"Rarity, were you tryin' to make us lose out there!?", Applejack shouted

"Wh-oh! This was not my fault! This was an act of sabotage!", Rarity retorted

"Yeah, well whoever did this couldn't have done this if you didn't insist on dressin' like...like this!", Applejack shot back, "We need to sound good! Is there some reason that concept seems to escape you?"

"And what was with the confetti, Pinkie Pie?", Rainbow Dash asked, "How am I supposed to shred if there's paper stuck in my frets?!"

"It was pretty distracting...", Fluttershy added

"Ugh! Says the girl who was running from a light the whole time! A light!", Pinkie yelled

"Okay...that doesn't sound good one bit", I told Spike

"At least they managed to finish their song", Spike smiled sheepishly

"You still sounded better than most of the other bands. I'm sure you'll make it to the next round", Sunset told the Rainbooms as they headed out of the auditorium, "But it won't matter if you don't have that counter-spell ready. You all find a place to practice where the sirens can't hear you. I'll keep an eye on things around here", she added before she separated from the group.

"I'll catch up with you guys later", I waved at them as the rest of C Pasta arrived, "So, Chris. I heard you've got some news or something"

"Yup, it seems like we'll be able to rehearse after all", Ben said

"We can practice in the gym", Chris added, "I've already moved our instruments there"

"That's great news", I told them, "Oh yeah, since there's still some time before the next round, I'm gonna invite the Rainbooms to hear our music"

"Bad idea", Chris groaned

"Jolly good! I see it only fitting as we did not get to show them our skills earlier", Slendy agreed

"Then it's settled, I'll go tell the girls", I rushed out of the auditorium to check on the girls

After some twists and turns, I managed to find the Rainbooms and saw that they had just met Flash Sentry and his band. But however, I could see Twilight walking away from Flash, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Ha! I bet you have no idea what you're even doing!", Flash shouted as the Rainbooms disappear behind a corner

"Alright, Brad. You're really askin' for it this time", I growled, balling up my fist, preparing to knock his bloody block off.

"Is there a problem?", Flash's bandmates stood in front of me

"Is there?", I heard Jeff's voice behind me.

"Walk away", Chris told Flash and his band before they slowly moved away from us.

"Oh hell no, he ain't gettin' off that easy after making her cry!", I tried to jump him from behind, only to find myself being restrained by the others

"Calm down, Azel", Ben said

"You fucking piece of shit! The next time I get you, I'm gonna fuck you up so bad all you'll be able to fucking do is shit yourself", I growled at Flash who quickly ran out of sight.

"We can't let him talk to the girls like this", Slendy told the others

"Azel, you okay?", Ben asked as my rage slowly disappeared

"I'm okay", I replied, "Don't know what I'd do if you hadn't stopped me", I smirked, indicating my return to normality

"Alright, look, you're in no mood to talk to anyone so just stay here, we'll talk to Flutters...I mean the Rainbooms", Chris quickly corrected himself while blushing at his mistake

"Can we trust you, ol' chap?", Slendy asked

"You can", I nodded, "Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble"

"Good", Jeff grinned before they went away, in pursuit of the girls.

I was about to return to the auditorium when I heard Adagio's voice from a nearby hallway, "...no one is going to remember you at all by the time we're done", she said. It sounded like she was berating somebody.

"Huh?", I asked as I saw that the person Adagio was talking to was in fact Sunset Shimmer, "Sunset Shimmer?", I rushed towards her, earning the attention of the Dazzlings

"Well well well, if it isn't the Beast?", Adagio smirked, "Never knew you had a soft spot"

"And I never thought you three turn out to be such rotten bitches", I retorted, "I have a good mind to settle this the hard way"

"Isn't that mighty good of you?", Adagio said, "Tell me, you really think you're going to wipe your past with every good deed you believe you do?", she asked

"Don't know about that but I do yearn for a new life", I replied

"You think you'll be able to wipe out all the red in your ledger?", Aria smirked

"How did you...", that question took me by surprise. I was totally sure that no one would know of my past...ahem...boo boos around here.

"Oh, we know everything. Five hundred and ninety-one murders in the space of eight years", Adagio looked at me straight in the eyes, "And you think doing some good for those who fear you is going to make you better? Please, nothing you do will ever erase those murders. You're a Beast and you'll always will be"

"Scaryyyyy", Sonata added before they left

"Why I oughta...", I growled, wanting to do something before I restrained myself. They had really managed to push the right piss-me-off button.

"Five hundred and ninety-one?", Sunset Shimmer stared at me

"For the record, I'm not proud of it", I told her, "Can't believe they just did that"

"Wow, never thought you used to be that...bad", Sunset Shimmer decided to try to make me feel better

"She was right, you know. No matter what I fucking do, there's no way I can change the past", I sat down on the floor, "Do you know how frustrated I used to get knowing that?"

"I can relate to that", she replied

"But at least you had some help. I was all alone. I was lost in fucking desperation, dammit", I chuckled

"Just let it go", she placed a hand on my shoulder, "Just let it go and don't let it bother you again"

"Easier said than done", I grinned before I stood up, "Come on, let's regroup with the others"

In a matter of minutes, we reached the gym where the members of both bands were present.

"Ah, finally you're back", Ben was the first to welcome me

"You okay, Azel?", Twilight asked me, "Chris told us that you kinda snapped for a second"

"Don't worry about me, what about you?", I asked back

"I'm okay. I was a bit shaken by Flash's actions but I'm okay now", she gave me an assuring smile

"What did Flash do?", Sunset Shimmer asked Fluttershy

"Umm...we'll tell you later", Fluttershy replied

"Alright, let's leave that matter for now", Rainbow Dash said before she turned to our band, "We're here because you've got a song, right?", she asked

"We sure do", Slendy answered

"Awesome. Let's hear it then", Rainbow Dash smirked as she took a seat near her friends

"What are we gonna play?", I asked Chris as I grabbed a guitar

"Well...it's probably not a good idea playing an aggressive song while Flutt...I mean the Rainbooms are here", he blushed again

"How about we play "Waiting For The End"?", Jeff suggested

"Great choice. We'll start after the second verse, alright?", I told the others, "Alright, we're gonna play "Waiting For The End"", I said before Ben played the drums,

"_Yo yo, What was left when the fire was gone?_

_I thought I felt right but that right was wrong_

_All caught up in the eye of the storm_

_Tryin' figure what it's like moving on_

_And I don't know the kind of things I said_

_My mouth kept moving and my mind went dead_

_So I'm picking up the pieces now where to begin_

_The hardest part of ending is starting again",_

I finished the part before playing a brief guitar riff as Rainbow Dash stared in awe. As I anticipated, the pony ears and black streaks appeared. However, something else caught my attention. For a second, I could have sworn the guys were flashing in some pony form or something.

"You're up, Chris", Ben said

"_All I want to do is trade this life for something new_

_Holding on to what I haven't got"_,

Chris sang, blushing a bit when he saw Fluttershy

I continued the riff as I rapped while Chris sang. It was a bit weird but we had this awesome chemistry together. Jeff's bass lines were done superbly; Ben's drumming helped keep the pace exciting and Rake's rhythms really synergized with Slendy's strings

"..._Cause we're living at the mercy of the pain and the fear_

_Until we dead it, forget it, let it all disappear"_

We executed the outro with some electronic beats from Slendy and in approximately a minute and fifteen seconds, the song was done.

"Whoo! That was great!", Pinkie screamed while the others applauded

"That went better than expected", I nudged Chris as the pony ears and shit disappeared.

"It's truly a shame that you can't participate in the competition", Rarity said, "I could've made you the most fabulous outfits", she added, causing Applejack to roll her eyes.

"So, are you guys till going on as a special act or something?", Twilight asked

"Yup, we'll be performing tonight", Chris replied

"Finally, he doesn't forget", Jeff grinned as the girls, including Fluttershy giggled

"Shut up, Jeff", Chris growled while blushing when he saw Fluttershy giggling.

"Okay, you girls might want to practice your songs and shit so we'll just leave you for now", I nodded before we headed out

"Azel, we still haven't decided on what song we're going to perform", Ben said

"Don't worry, we'll think of one", I replied with a confident smirk

"What if we think of it too late and we mess up?", Ben asked

"Don't be ridiculous, Benjamin. All we have to do is follow Azel's lead and we'll get rid of the sirens in no time", Slendy assured him

"Slendy's right, that's the plan. Stick to it and we'll be okay", Jeff grinned before he turned to Ben, "I don't get why you're so unconfident in our skills"

"Don't judge me for being forward thinking", Ben replied

"Settle down, you two", I said, "Come on, let's head back to the auditorium"

"What about the Dazzlings? What if they manage to put us under their spell?", Ben asked

"Again!?", Jeff groaned

"What? I'm just a bit careful", Ben shrugged

"Well, just put on some ear plugs or something", I simply replied, "Just don't hear their singing. The Rainbooms are protected by Twilight's magic but you guys aren't so take some precautions"

"In your face, Jeff", Ben smirked

"You win this time, Benny", Jeff grinned as we headed towards the auditorium

The other competitors were eliminated one by one. A crazy smile came across my face when it was announced that Flash Sentry's band had not gone through to the semi-finals. In the end, The Dazzlings reached the finals while the Rainbooms faced Trixie's bands to decide who faces the Dazzlings in the finals

"Hey doge dude", I patted Spike as he made his way towards me, "So, how are the girls doing? Got the counter-spell ready?"

"I don't know about that but they seem a bit more collected than before", he replied

"Yeah...let's hope it stays that way", I chuckled as the Rainbooms made their way to the stage after Trixie and the Illusions finished their weirdly catchy song

"Looks like your friend Twilight isn't taking center stage this time", Chris said when he saw Rainbow Dash singing the verses alone

"You're such an absent-minded dipshit", I grinned

"What?", Chris asked as he removed his ear plugs

"Pay attention. It's rude not to pay attention", I adlibbed as Chris shrugged and plugged his ears again.

"That was mean", Spike smiled at what I did

"Wow much care so thinking", I smirked before Sunset Shimmer tackled a half-transformed Rainbow Dash, ending their gig abruptly

"What the?", Spike raised an eyebrow as we both headed to the backstage area.

"Sunset Shimmer! What are you doing?", I shouted as silently as I could

"Now that's the bad girl we love to hate!", Flash started a chorus of boos

"I am so fucking you up in a way you'll never fucking forget", I growled

"I knew she was still trouble", a cellist added

"The real Sunset Shimmer is back!", another student said as Sunset Shimmer stood awkwardly

"No, it isn't like that", she lowered her head before she joined the Rainbooms in the back stage.

My eyes darted towards the Dazzlings who were sitting amongst the students. I could see it in their faces. They were absolutely delighted at seeing the Rainbooms being embarrassed in front of everybody.

"You can't change", I traced Adagio's movements as she looked at me

**A/N : Well, this took a bit longer than I planned it to be. Anyway, thanks for the read. Keep on tuning in for more.**


	29. Chapter 29 : Decadence

**Chapter 29 : Decadence**

**A/N: Sorry the wait, enjoy lol.**

**Light Spoiler : Pairing coming soon, guess it**

"What was that!?", Rainbow Dash yelled at Sunset Shimmer, annoyed that she had ruined her guitar solo

"You were showing them your magic. I-I didn't know what else to do?", Sunset Shimmer replied

"This is gonna get ugly", I told Spike

"I hope not", he said sadly

"Ugh. Close the curtains? Unplug her amp? Give us a chance to deal with the situation?", Rarity asked

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to help", Sunset Shimmer lowered her head

"Yeah, well, you didn't", Rainbow Dash scowled

"None of this would've happened if you weren't tryin' to show off...as usual", Applejack got in Rainbow Dash's face

"Good show, "Rain-brooms"", Trixie jeered, "I especially liked the part where Sunset Shimmer, in a fit of jealous rage, knocked out Rainbow Dash mid-guitar solo!"

"It wasn't a fit of jealous rage!", Sunset Shimmer shot back

"If you say so", Trixie smirked before she saw Celestia and Luna, "Ooh! Looks like they're already decided who'll be moving on to the finals! I'm guessing it wasn't too difficult a decision"

I was about to reply when Fluttershy tugged my shirt

"What is it?", I asked her

"Umm...Chris wants to tell you something", she pointed to my band members standing behind some equipment

"What's wrong?", I asked a blushing Chris,

"Errr...my mom insisted that we play after she announced the results of the semi-finals", Chris replied

"Well, that's not that bad", I shrugged

"Actually it is", Jeff grinned

"We declined the offer, ol' chap", Slendy said, "Instead of a band performance, you're going in as a rap solo"

"Say what?!", I exclaimed

"Yep...umm...you better get yourself ready…they're about to announce the winner of the face-off", Ben smiled sheepishly as Celestia and Luna made their way towards the stage

"You guys wanna keep it down? They're about to announce who's moving on", Rainbow Dash said

"Who are you kidding? You know it isn't gonna be us", Fluttershy replied

"Dammit", I grumbled. I wasn't prepared for this but I could not embarrass my band in front of the others so I had to wing it. And I hate winging it.

"The band that will be joining the Dazzlings in tonight's finals...", Celestia announced, "...The Rainbooms!"

"What!?", Trixie exclaimed in shock at the result

"Huh?", the Rainbooms were also equally surprised

"Did they just say, "The Rainbooms"?!", Pinkie asked

"This isn't over!", Trixie growled as she stormed away

"Congratulations, girls", Celestia told the Rainbooms, "You deserve it"

"Seriously!? We didn't even finish our...", Pinkie tried to say something before she was stopped by Rainbow Dash.

"See you at tonight's big show, Rainbooms", Adagio smirked as she, Aria and Sonata made their way onstage, "We are really looking forward to it", she added before they went away

"Yeah, well...not as much as we are!", Rainbow Dash said awkwardly

"Boo!", the crowd began to jeer them as they headed out of the auditorium

"Zis never should haf been you, Rainbooms!", one group shouted

"Azel, you're on", Chris pushed me towards the stage after the Rainbooms left

"Err...yeah...", I said awkwardly before Jeff threw a microphone towards me, hitting me at the side of my face, "Thanks, Jeff", I said sarcastically as he gave me a thumbs up

"And here's our final act for this round : A rap solo from Azel", Celestia told the students

"No beat?", I whispered to Slendy

"None, sorry mate", he shrugged

"Dammit...", I growled before clearing my throat, "Well...I'm Azel...nope...I am...", something opened inside me, like a chest that had never been opened before at an event like this, "Hate The Red", I grinned.

I took one last glance at my bandmates and saw them exchanging confused looks

"Let's go", I yelled before I began,

"_I just got a number one from the drive thru, got a number three too,_

_So that I could have me a little snack,_

_And hey I know that ya think that it's bad_

_And that it's kinda sad, but it's kinda rad_

_Now I'm eating bugles_

_Man oh Man I should really be a co-star on that man versus food show_

_Sometimes I talk to my food and I say_

"_Hey burger, Imma eat you"_

_Lyrics comin' at you at supersonic speed..."_

I said before I took a deep breath. I had got everyone's attention now, including the Dazzlings'

"_Uh summalummadummalammayouassumin'I'mahuman_

_WhatIgottadotogetitthroughtoyou?I'masuperhuman_

_InnovativeandI'mmadeofrubber_

_Soanythingyousayisricochetingoffofmeandit'llgluetoyou_

_AndI'mdevastatingmorethandemonstrating_

_Howtogiveamotherfreakingaudienceafeelinglikeit'slevitating_

_NeverfadingandIknowthehater'sareforeverwaiting_

_ForthedaytheycansaythatIfelloff_

_They'llbecelebratingIknowhowtogetthemmotivated_

_Imakeelavatingmusic, You make elevator music!"_

I gasped for a short breath of air while the boys stared at me open-mouthed

"_Oh he's too mainstream!"_

_Well that's what they do when they get jealous, they confuse it_

_It's not hip hop, it's pop_

_Cause I found a hella way to fuse it_

_With rock, shock rap with Doc_

_Throw on "Lose Yourself" and make em lose it_

"_I don't know how to make songs like that_

_I don't know what words to use"_

_Lemme know when it occurs to you_

_When I ripping any of these verses, it's versus you_

_It's curtains for you, I'm inadvertently hurting you,_

_How many verses I gotta murder to_

_Prove to you that if you were half as nice your songs_

_You could sacrifice burgers too"_

I finished the rap by falling to my knees, "That's all folks", I managed to say as I panted. I never intended to rap that one "Rap God" but somehow I managed to pull it off.

"Hate The Red!", Celestia applauded as the crowd cheered

"I'm out", I quickly made my way backstage to where the rest of C Pasta and Spike were waiting for me

"Wow! I've never heard something like that", Spike said

"Awesome rap, ol' chap. Never knew you had it in you", Slendy poked me

"Me neither", I chuckled

"Hate The Red?", Ben raised an eyebrow

"Yup. To be honest, I have no idea why I said that", I was just as confused as they were

"Sounds like they love it", Jeff grinned

"Good", Rake gave me a fist-bump.

"Rake...dude! Finally you said something other than "I am Rake"", I said

"I am Rake", he smiled mischievously before he continued listening to his headphones

"Ooookay...well, what song are we going to play tonight?", I asked

"We'll wing it", Jeff replied

"Then that's settled. Let's meet up tonight", I said as we parted ways

"Are we going to check on Twilight and the others?", Spike asked me

"Whatever", I shrugged as we headed outside

In a few minutes, we reached the backstage area of the stage for the finals. I grabbed a chew toy and threw it towards the stage

"Go get it, doge", I smirked. As if on cue, Spike rushed towards the chew toy and grabbed it with his mouth before he dropped it.

"Azel! There's something wrong", he called me

"What is it?", I asked as I headed towards him

"The girls...they're gone!", he exclaimed

"Where?", I looked around for any signs of the Rainbooms

"Below the stage", he replied

"I don't see any shit", I shrugged as I leaned on a lever

"Watch out!", he shouted before a trap door opened beneath me, causing to fall through it

"Fuck...", I mumbled as I landed, "Girls?", I noticed the Rainbooms and Sunset Shimmer looking at me

"Well, so much for waiting for Azel to get us", Rainbow Dash sighed

"How did ya'll end up here?", I asked them as I stood up. The trap door had closed in on me so there was no way I would be able to climb out of this place.

"Trixie and the Illusions trapped us", Applejack replied, "And the exit can only be opened from the outside", she pointed to a door

"You girls tried smashing it open?", I cracked my fingers

"It's no use", Fluttershy said, "Rainbow Dash has been doing that about three times now"

"Four...but who's counting?", Rainbow Dash shrugged before she tried to ram the door open

"Hold on, I'll give it a try", I backed a bit to get a running start

"Azel, I don't think that's a good idea", Twilight said

"Don't be silly", I smirked before I bumped into the door, the force causing me to stagger backwards

"Azel, are you alright?", Applejack asked

"Yep. I think it budged a bit", I lied, standing up and preparing to try again, "Here's goes nothing", I shouted before I rammed it again. However, this time I managed to create a hole in the door but to my embarrassment, my left foot was stuck in the hole.

"Well, that sucks", Rainbow Dash smirked as the others giggled

"It's stuck", I tried to pull my foot out but it was lodged tightly on the door.

"This is an interesting predicament", Rarity examined door, "If only you could get your foot out, we might be able to reach the knob on the other side"

"Too bad his foot's still stuck", Pinkie added

"Maybe we could pull it out", Twilight said

"Hope I don't regret this", I muttered as the girls grabbed me and tried to pull me away from the door, "Arg...dammit!", pain shot through my leg due to the force, "Abort! Abort!", I yelled as I realized there was not we could get my foot out.

"I know, maybe there's something we can use here to get you out", Twilight had an idea

"Search for a fucking axe or something", I said, "It's getting really tiresome holding my leg up like this"

After a few seconds, Fluttershy produced a small rusty chisel from some boxes

"Worth a try", I sighed as Fluttershy handed me the chisel. I tried to use it to stab the door open but the metal piece broke at the first contact

"Didn't expect that", Applejack commented

"Well, seems like we're stuck here for now", I groaned before Rarity grabbed a chair for me to sit on, "Thanks, Rarity", I said as I sat on it

"No problem, darling", she smiled

"Imma gonna grab some shut-eye", I yawned, tired after doing so much shit earlier, "Wake me up when September ends", I smirked

"Umm...it's already October", Fluttershy said

"WAKEY-WAKEY!", Pinkie screamed at point-blank range

"Damn! Pinkie!", I raised an eyebrow, trying to make sure my inner ear drums were still intact

"Sorry", she giggled

"Anyway, wake me up when the event starts, alright?", I said before I drifted off to dreamland

French Fries and hot dogs were dancing all around me. Taunting me to be exact.

"You know you want it", they started to advance closer and closer

"YESSSSSS!", I shouted in my sleep before I woke up.

"Azel?", Rarity asked

"Wha…oh…..right", I suddenly remembered that my foot was stuck, "Sorry….just had an awesome dream heheh", I smiled sheepishly before I heard some singing above me, "So, the final's underway?"

"Yes, but we still haven't found a way to get out", Fluttershy replied

"Shit", I mumbled

"But why wasn't it working? I should know what to do. How could I not know what to do? How could I have failed like this?", Twilight sat at a corner, talking to herself.

"And she's back to her old insecurity", I muttered as the other girls argued

"It might've been your idea to start a band, but it's not just your band, Rainbow Dash!", Applejack shouted at the rainbow haired girl

"I'm the one who writes all the songs!", Rainbow Dash replied

"I write songs! You just never let us play any of them!", Fluttershy retorted

"I had the most perfect outfits for us to wear", Rarity said

"Again with the costumes!", Applejack groaned, "No one cares what we're wearin'!", she yelled

"I care, Applejack! So sorry if I enjoy trying to make a creative contribution to the band!", Rarity yelled back

"I should've brought some popcorn", I smirked before Sunset Shimmer turned towards me, "Sorry", I smiled nervously

"This is bad…this is so bad", Sunset Shimmer sounded worried

"I need popcorn", I mumbled before I stared at my stuck foot, "Fuck you", I growled

"Hey! Anybody here remembered fun!?", Pinkie screamed, "I'll give you a hint : It's the exact opposite of being in the Rainbooms!"

"I wish I never asked any of you to be in my band!", Rainbow Dash said

"I wish I'd never agreed to be in it!", Rarity yelled

"Me neither!", Fluttershy and Applejack added

As the Rainbooms argued amongst themselves, a green mist slowly floated from them to the upper stage where Trixie and the Illusions were performing.

"Are you seeing this?", I asked Sunset Shimmer

"Their magic….", Sunset Shimmer said as she stared at the mist

"Come again?", I raised an eyebrow

"Their magic….it's seeping out of them", Sunset Shimmer replied

"The mist's their magic? That explains that", I said before I tried to wriggle out of my embarrassing imprisonment, "If only….this fucking door would open", I grunted as I tried to pull it open

"You have to do something", she pleaded

"No can do, bacon hair. I'm only good at causing trouble not fixing it", I shrugged

Sunset Shimmer could not take it anymore. She had to stop the Rainbooms before their tempers and tension reached a breaking point

"Stop! You have to stop!", Sunset Shimmer shouted out of desperation, "This is what they've been after all along!", she explained as they listened to her, "They're feeding off of the magic inside you!"

"How can they be using our magic? It's the magic of friendship", Applejack asked

"Ever since you started this band, you've been letting little things get to you", Sunset Shimmer said, "I never said anything 'cause I didn't feel like it was my place. Not when I was so new to this whole "friendship" thing", she added, "I still have a lot to learn. But I do know that if you don't work out even the smallest problems right at the start, the magic of friendship can be turned into something else"

"I can't believe all this tension was happening right under my nose and I didn't realize it. I'm supposed to be the one with all the answers", Twilight said before she lowered her head, "And all I've done since I got here is let you down"

"I don't think that anyone is supposed to have all the answers", Sunset Shimmer assured her, "But you can count on your friends to help you find them"

"Friendship intensifies", I grinned

"I think you already have", Twilight had that "sudden idea" on her face, "C'mon! We need to get out of here!"

"Uhh….what are you girls doing?", I asked them before they all charged at me. One by one they tried to push the door open, "It's no use", I groaned while holding my stuck leg, "What the heck?", I shrugged before I joined them

However, everyone merely bounced back due to the force

Suddenly there was a knock on the door before the door opened, sending me flying outside, still stuck

"Oww….", I held my head as a blue haired DJ gave me a sheepish smile

"Sorry", she apologized

"Spike!", Twilight exclaimed as she saw her loyal assistant

"Sorry I took so long. I had to find somebody who wasn't under the siren's spell to help me get you out", Spike said

"Why isn't she under their spell?", Twilight asked when she saw the girl

"Never takes off her headphones", Spike replied

"Come on, ya'll! Time to prove we still got the magic of friendship inside us!", Applejack said

"And there's only one way to do it!", Twilight added

"We're getting the band back together?", Pinkie asked, excited

"We're getting our band together!", Rainbow Dash replied

"Whee!", Pinkie squealed

"Ooh, which version of the counter-spell are we going to play?", Rarity asked

"I don't think it matters what song we play, as long as we play it together as friends", Twilight said

"I know just the song", Rainbow Dash smirked, causing the others to exchange worried glances, "Fluttershy's written a great one", she added to which Fluttershy squealed in delight.

"We're about to save the world here. Personally, I think we should do it in style. Rarity?", Applejack turned to Rarity

"I thought you'd never ask!", Rarity pulled out some outfits.

"Yay! Awesome!", I cheered sarcastically, "Personally, I'd like to save the fucking world in style too", I grinned

"Oh right!", Twilight said, embarrassed at having forgotten about my predicament, "I still don't know how we're going to get your foot out of the door"

"We'll take care of the lad's problems", I heard Slendy say

"You guys?", I raised an eyebrow, "Thanks for arriving so early", I groaned

"Sorry, buddy", Jeff grinned as he held a saw, causing everyone else to gasp, "Jeez, calm down, I'm going to get him out for crying out loud", he mumbled before he got me out in no time

"Wow, you guys came for him?", Twilight asked

**A/N : That didn't sound right. Bro-hoof if you got that**

"Why wouldn't we? We're his friends", Chris replied

"That's so nice", Fluttershy smiled, making Chris blush

"You girls better do your stuff", Ben told the Rainbooms, "And if anything goes wrong, we'll help you"

"Thanks", Rainbow Dash said before she turned to the other girls, "Come on! Let's get ready to rock!"

As, the girls headed back inside to change, me and the boys, including Spike, made our way towards the crowd where we would monitor whatever was happening

"So, how is it that you're able to talk, little dog?", Ben asked Spike

"Actually, I'm a dragon. A ferocious fire-breathing dragon", Spike replied proudly

"Sure you are", I patted him

"So, let me clarify the sudden revelation", Rake suddenly said, causing the others to stare at him open-mouthed, "Even though you're anatomy Is that of a canine in our plane of reality, you say that you are, in actuality, an intimidating scaly reptile with the ability to exhume flames from your mouth?"

"Umm….yeah", Spike replied awkwardly

"What?", Rake raised an eyebrow when he saw us

"Did he just….", I was still shocked by what had just transpired

"Forget it", Rake said before he put his headphones back on

"Guess we do learn new things everyday", Slendy smiled sheepishly

"Uh-oh", Ben said as he saw red shockwaves coming from the Dazzlings' singing "Ear plugs! Now!", he barely managed to say before the wave hit us

"I'll check up on the girls. Get the instruments from the backstage area", I signaled to them before I picked up Spike. The Dazzlings were more powerful than I thought and if the boys hadn't managed to put on their ear plugs on time, they would have been under the sirens' spell.

"Aren't they protected by the spell like we are?", Spike asked as we headed to the top of a hill where the girls were present

"They're not. And they have to make sure they don't hear their song", I replied

"Azel, where're the others?", Twilight asked. They were all wearing some…um….rather unique outfits and had their instruments ready.

"They've gone back to the backstage to get our instruments to act as a backup plan", I told her

"What if the sirens manage to put them under their spell?", Fluttershy asked

"They won't. They've got fucking ear plugs on", I replied

"That's good to hear but how are we supposed to play over them from up here?", Rainbow Dash asked before the DJ girl pulled her car up from behind us.

"Whoa!", I grinned as I saw the car.

With the flip of a switch, the car transformed into a DJ station, complete with amplifiers and strobe lights.

"Wicked Sick!", I exclaimed. I could have sworn that I drooled rainbows.

"Awesome!", Pinkie shouted

"Sweet!", Rainbow Dash added

"The guys are back so I'll call them here", I told them before I ran down the hill where the rest of C Pasta had already fitted their instruments.

"Plugged in?", I asked Chris who nodded before he pointed towards the stage, "Oh crap", I groaned

Back on stage, the Dazzlings were completely oblivious to what was happening on a nearby hill. They kept on absorbing the magic around them before they transformed, gaining pony ears, tails and translucent wings.

"_We will be adored_

_Tell us that you want us_

_We won't be ignored_

_It's time for our reward_

_Now you need us_

_Come and heed us_

_Nothing can stop us now"_

The Dazzlings were certainly at full-strength now and I had some doubts on whether or not the Rainbooms would be able to take them out.

"Cue the Rainbooms", I said before Twilight and the others sang from the hill

"_Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh_

_I've got the music in me_

_Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh"_

The Rainbooms started singing their counter-spell which got the attention of the Dazzlings.

"_Don't need to hear a crowd_

_Cheering out my name_

_I didn't come here seeking_

_Infamy or fame"_

Twilight sang before the girls joined her

"_The one and the only thing_

_That I am here to bring_

_Is music, is the music_

_Is the music in my soul"_

I could see that the counter-spell was working as the students began to snap out of the Dazzlings's spell. As they continued, the Rainbooms were transformed into their half-pony forms although they had these strange rainbow streaks this time.

"Hope that shit doesn't happen to me", I thought. The mere sight of me having some rainbow colours on me would remind me of the time I turned into a princess…..ahem…..an alicorn.

"So the Rainbooms want to turn this into a real Battle of the Bands?", Adagio sported a devilish smile, "Then let's battle!"

"_What we have in store_

_All we want and more_

_We will break on through_

_Now it's time to finish you!"_

With that, the students were back in their control. Suddenly, astral projections of themselves which looked like some finned dragons and shit appeared and they circled the Rainbooms

"Well, that was totally unexpected", I commented

However, the Rainbooms, with the help of the DJ, managed to fend off Aria's and Sonata's projections, leaving only Adagio's.

"Oh shit…", I groaned when Adagio's projection no-sold Twilight's vocalization with a sonic blast, "Oh even-greater-shit", I groaned more when I saw the three projections blow Twilight's microphone right off her hands, "We better be ready", I signaled the boys

"Sunset Shimmer, we need you!", Twilight said after Sunset Shimmer picked her microphone up

After a few moments of hesitation, Sunset Shimmer threw her jacket away. And you know shit is gonna go down when Sunset Shimmer throws her jacket away.

A few drum beats and Sunset Shimmer began to sing

"_You're never gonna bring me down_

_You're never gonna break this part of me_

_My friends are here to bring me 'round_

_Not singing just for popularity"_

She helped Twilight up and the rest of the band continued with the song

"_We're here to let you know_

_That we won't let it go_

_Our music is a bomb and it's about to blow_

_And you can try to fight _

_But we have got the light of friendship on our side!"_

"Hmm….this might actually work", I scratched my chin while smiling.

"_Got the music in hearts_

_We're here to blow this thing apart"_

They kept on singing before a rainbow shockwave formed from them which snapped all of the students out of the siren's control permanently and weakened the Dazzlings

"It's okay to take it off now", I signaled the boys before they took their ear plugs off

"Whoa! The Rainbooms are awesome!", Jeff exclaimed

"We still can't let our guard down", Ben said

"Chill out, dude", Jeff slapped him

"I will not, thank you very much", Ben growled

"Hey, aren't you guys supposed to turn into….", I tried to ask them about their original forms since it was already night time

"The Rainbooms' magic kept us this way", Slendy replied, "We're not sure how either"

"Kept you what?", Chris asked

"Nothing", we all replied

"Look!", Slendy pointed to a glowing orb in the sky above the Rainbooms.

We turned to look and saw an alicorn arise from the orb before it slowly made its way towards the Dazzlings. By this time, everyone sans the Dazzlings was singing the song.

"…_Get you dancing with the crowd_

_As the music of our friendship _

_Survives_

_Survives!_

_SURVIV ES!"_

The alicorn blasted the Dazzlings and their projections with a beam. I expected the projections to shatter or something but they didn't. Instead, they were using their last ounces of power to repel the beam which worked

"We won't go down this easily", Adagio growled before she and the others continued to sing, causing a violent explosion of magic which froze the alicorn and nullified any sounds coming from the Rainbooms

"Why can't we play?", Rainbow Dash asked the others when their instruments stopped working

"Oh no", Fluttershy gasped

"We're up", Chris said as he saw the worried look on Fluttershy's face

"What the fuck are we going to play?", I asked as the Dazzlings prepared their final attack

"Iridescent", Jeff smirked

"Here goes nothing", I sighed as I played the riff of the song

"_Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?_

_You've built up hope but failure's all you've known_

_Remember all the sadness and frustration_

_And let it go-o-oh-oh"_

We all sang, much to my surprise. I turned towards the audience and to the Rainbooms and I could see them all cheering on, preparing to join in on the song at any moment

"_Let it go-o-o-oh-oh! Let it go-o-o-oh-oh!_

_Let it go-o-o-oh-oh! Let it go-o-o-oh-oh!_

_Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?_

_You've built up hope but failure's all you've known_

_Remember all the sadness and frustration_

_And let it go-o-oh-oh_

_Let it go"_

The magic emanating from the participation of everyone was enough to empower the alicorn and within a blink of an eye, it shattered the Dazzlings' projection to pieces before doing the same to their pendants.

As the alicorn disappeared and we stopped playing, the Dazzlings grabbed what remained of their pendants and tried to sing again although this time, they sang off-key, earning them boos and some flying vegetables and fruits.

"Guess that explains why these were so special to them", Sunset Shimmer smirked as she took a piece of the pendant after the Dazzlings fled the stage.

"Without those pendants and the magic you brought here from Equestria, they're just three harmless teenage girls", Twilight said as the rest of the Rainbooms and C Pasta joined them on stage.

"Rainbooms rule! That was amazing!", waifu stealer came out of nowhere and hugged Twilight, making the other girls giggle

"BRRAAAAADDDD!", I growled, remembering what the shithead did earler

"Oh….about what happened…earlier…..I'm sorry", he apologized

"You expect me to fucking forgive you?", I glared at him as he and Twilight separated

"Azel….please", Twilight knew that I was about to do something bad

"Fine, alright", I sighed, "I'll forgive you only after I do one thing", I smirked before I gave a secret signal to Pinkie

"What is it?", he asked

"Whipped Cream", I smirked before I sprayed him with a can of whipped cream Pinkie gave me. In a matter of seconds, his face was covered with cream, "Merry Christmas, asshole", I whispered to him as the others laughed

"Clean yourself up, buddy", Chris threw a napkin at Flash

"Thanks", he said before standing up and cleaning himself

Suddenly, Trixie jumped right between all of us, "You may have vanquished the Dazzlings, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!", she announced before dropping a smoke bomb

"She's gone!", Pinkie and I gasped before we saw her fall over a ledge, "Oh, wait. There she is"

"Trixie's okay!", the girl said

"You know", Rainbow Dash turned to Sunset Shimmer, "Twilight is going back to Equestria soon. The Rainbooms could really use someone to help Fluttershy on backup vocals"

"I also play guitar", Sunset Shimmer said after playing some riffs on a guitar nearby much to the surprise of everyone onstage.

"We'll see", Rainbow Dash smirked before the Rainbooms hugged Sunset Shimmer

"And what about you, Mr. Prince of Equestria?", Chris grinned

"Wait, how did you….?", I asked. I never thought they'd know about that

"A little party lover told us", Ben replied before Jeff and Pinkie exchanged winks

"Well then, I guess I have to go back….knowing that my sisters would be worried sick about me", I shrugged

"We'll be waiting for your return, you can bet on that", Jeff smirked before they sprayed whipped cream on me

"Merry Christmas, asshole!", my bandmates yelled after they finished covering me with whipped cream

"Whipped Cream Burial. Always wanted this", I grinned before I stood up and turned to Twilight, "You comin'?", I asked her while cleaning myself

"Just a sec", she replied as she saw that her friends had something to say to her

"Hope we'll meet again soon", Sunset Shimmer said

"Take care, Twilight", Rarity added

"You too, Spike", Fluttershy patted the purple dog

"Sure wish you could stay longer", Applejack told her

"Me too. But I have responsibilities in Equestria that I have to get back to. Its citizens need me", Twilight said, "But now I can go through the portal whenever I need to. This isn't goodbye", she assured them

"It's just a "See You Later"", I finished her sentence as the three of us headed towards the portal

"Chris….um….you sing pretty good", Fluttershy told Chris

"Wha…er…I mean….um….T-Thanks", he gave a nervous chuckle while blushing

"Thanks for following me through the fucking portal", I hugged my two companions as we stood in front of the portal

"Thanks for helping us defeat the Dazzlings", Twilight replied

"Let's go", I gave her a smile

"Ready?", she asked

"Ready", Spike and I replied before we entered the portal.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_Somewhere in a hotel overseas….._

"Hey why are you only getting to me at the end of the movie!?", A grown man wearing a red outfit fitted with weapons shouted

**It's a fanfic**

"Fanfic…Movie…whatever…..why the fuck am I the guy shown last!?", he kept yelling

**A/N: That's the end of Rainbow Rocks Arc. Tune in for mor-**

"Hey! I'm not done yet!", the man shouted

***sigh* What do you want?**

"Ahem! I'm Deadpool, you dumbass! I'm the new villain or whatever", he crossed his arms, "Aren't you supposed to introduce me or something?"

**Okay then…awkward**

**Deadpool is the new villain, you happy?**

"Do I have to do everything myself?", Deadpool sighed, "Okay, readers. I'm Bane's last resort and shit, so I'm gonna blast some pony's guts all over the wall. It's gonna be fucking awesome", he showed his pistols

**And why are you doing it?**

"Duh! I'm a fucking mercenary…..", he facepalmed himself, "Bane paid me…done?"

**Done**

**A/N: Anyway, thanks for the read. Merc with a Mouth is coming. Stay tuned.**


	30. Chapter 30 : Weapon

**Chapter 30 : Weapon**

**A/N: Wow, 300+ reviews! Thanks ya'll. Please do enjoy this one as well. Disclaimed.**

_A month later after the defeat of the Dazzlings, somewhere in the human world_

"So how exactly am I going to get to this...Equestria or something?", Deadpool asked a faint shadow in front of him.

"There's a portal located in a school overseas called Canterlot High", Bane replied while coughing, "Hitch a ride and head over there..."

"I think this guy's a loose nut or something...talking about ponies and shit", Deadpool whispered

**He's paying you so keep your mouth shut**

"Hah! Fat chance!", Deadpool stuck his tongue out under his mask

"Who are you talking to?", Bane asked

"A dumbass who thinks he controls everything in this story", Deadpool smirked

"Story?...anyway, I'll guide you to the portal and through it. When you reach your destination, I will give you all my magic and you'll do what you're paid to do", Bane ordered

"Magic? Pffft! I don't need some crappy magic stuff", Deadpool showed Bane his pistols, "I've got these babies"

"Believe me, where you're going, those will be useless against your target", Bane said

"Damn...alright, so who's the poor guy?", Deadpool reluctantly placed his pistols back

"He's a unicorn called Azel", Bane grinned, "He is not that powerful but with his allies, he may be unstoppable so you better dispose of them first"

"Unicorn? Are you sure you ain't shitting me?", Deadpool raised an eyebrow

"I am not", Bane sternly replied, "Because you have my magic, you'll be able to pass through the portal at will, much like how my former ally did"

"Former ally what?", Deadpool asked

"Her name is Sunset Shimmer. Don't worry about her, unless she follows you to Equestria, she won't be a problem", Bane said, "Now go! You'll miss your flight!", he added

"Yak yak...what-the-fuck-ever", Deadpool groaned before he jumped out of his window right onto a passing car which hit him and made him fly right into a pole, "Thanks for that", Deadpool sarcastically said

**I didn't do anything *smirks***

"Oh really? So what's gonna happen next? You gonna make me run around butt-naked?", Deadpool groaned

**That's not a bad idea**

"I'm just joking! Jeez!", Deadpool began to pick up all his dropped equipment as civilians stared at him, "Don't you fucktards have jobs?", he growled before the people around him walked away

_Back in Equestria, in the snow-covered garden at Canterlot castle_

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

"Heads up, Tia!", I shouted before throwing a snowball right into my sister's face

"Good one, Azel!", Luna winked, dodging a snowball from Twilight, "You'll have to do better than that, Twilight!", she taunted

"Here's the Shining special", Shining Armor grinned as he threw a fast snowball which went splat right at Cadance's face, "Oops", he cringed

"Uh-oh", the others said as Cadance took out some dozen snowballs she made

""Oops" this", Cadance smiled a devious smile. The next second, the snowballs made contact with every member of the opposing team, burying them in a small layer of snow.

"We win", Luna raised her hoof in triumph

It was the last night of winter and my sisters decided that we should spend it together as a family. I suggested a snowball fight and we went with a three-on-three battle - Luna, I and Cadance against Tia, Twilight and Shining.

"We always lose because of you", Twilight grinned before chucking snow into her brother's face.

"Sorry", Shining laughed as his face was slowly buried in snow

"I've got an idea, why don't we turn him into a snow-pony?", I suggested

"No, don't turn him into a snow-pony", Shining protested before the he was buried neck deep in snow

"I'll get some twigs for his hooves", Cadance galloped off

"Is this really necessary?", Shining asked me while smiling

"Yep", I shrugged as I secured him tightly with a freezing spell, making him unable to move

"Let's put a scarf around that", Twilight giggled before she took a green scarf and placed it around Shining's neck

"And for the final touches….", Cadance said, stabbing Shining's snow hooves with small twigs, "Ta-da!"

"Your highness", a royal guard bowed before Celestia

"Yes, what is it?", Celestia kindly asked

"It's the draconequus", the guard replied, "He's waiting for you in the throne room"

"Discord?", Celestia asked to which the guard gave her a nod

"Well, that's quite polite of him", Luna smiled, "Having the mind not to disturb us while we're enjoying ourselves"

"Guess again, sis", I grinned as I saw Discord floating above the garden with hundreds of snowballs.

"Surprise, surprise", Discord chuckled playfully before unleashing a barrage of snowballs on everyone below. As the powders of snow cleared, we were all shivering from the sudden snowstorm, shoving the remains away to keep ourselves warmer.

"DISCORD!", we all shouted at the draconequus

"What? Nopony invited me anywhere else", Discord simply shrugged

"Fluttershy was looking for you before", Twilight was the first to get herself free from the snow

"Really?", Discord asked. If there was anypony the draconequus would care for the most, it was her.

"Yes, she wanted to ask you to come for a cruddy tea party or something", I added.

"Oh dear me….well, the past's in the past. Can't change it", he smirked

"You know you should rea….", Twilight was cut off by a snowball to the face

"Excuse me, you were saying?", Discord playfully floated around Twilight

"I said, you should rea….", another snowball landed right at her, "Stop that!", she yelled

"Sorry, it's just so funny….", Discord threw another snowball at her, "…..see? Funny!", he smirked as he turned to me

"Yeah…Discord, buddy….you really shouldn't have done that", I grinned before Discord found himself being levitated

"Uh-oh", he smiled nervously before he was planted headfirst into the snow covered ground.

"Can't say I didn't expect that", I chuckled while everypony else who saw what happened laughed

"Umm….guys?", Spike called from inside the castle, "It's really getting late now", the little dragon added. After being caught by a snowball the other day, he was a bit wary about playing with us in the snow

"Get up, buddy", I pulled the draconequus out with a tug. His head was comically frozen in place.

"I'm okay", he gave a "thumbs-up" as we all headed inside for some hot-chocolate

"Hey! What about me?", I thought I heard Shining's voice but I chose to ignore it in favor of some hot chocolate

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_In the Everfree Woods, half a mile away from Canterlot High_

"Loki! Stop!", a blonde man with long hair, wielding a hammer and a battle armor of sorts pursued another man wearing a horned helmet

"Why the serious look, dear brother?", Loki smirked before teleporting behind Thor and hitting him with his scepter, "Show some mirth" he chuckled as Thor cleaned the blood from the side of his mouth

"Stop this madness, Loki!", Thor shouted before Loki flew towards civilization,

Thor was determined to stop his brother at all costs. A few minutes earlier, he had razed three buildings and demolished a dozen or so vehicles without surprisingly enough, no casualties. However, he knew that things weren't gonna be on his side for long so he had to subdue him as soon as possible.

"Why do you crave chaos so much?", Thor asked as he grabbed Loki by his throat as they floated above a school, finally catching up to him, "Stop this! Innocents will die because of your foolish actions!", he shouted

"Sorry, brother", Loki smiled before disappearing

"What?", Thor looked around frantically before noticing Loki chuckling behind him

"When are you going to stop falling for that?", he grinned before aiming his scepter at Thor, preparing to blast him into oblivion.

"Noo!", Thor managed to jump to his side before the blue ethereal projectile made contact with him which instead, hit a statue below.

"Curses", Loki growled before he prepared to fire again. This time, however, Thor managed to throw his hammer at his brother, preventing him from taking a shot at him. Due to the short range of the attack, the force knocked out Loki, rendering him unconscious

"Loki…what have you done?", Thor said with a worried look on his face when a portal opened from the statue, forcibly pulling him and his fallen brother towards it

"No….I must….escape….this…", Thor grunted as he tried to fly away with Loki on his shoulders.

Unfortunately, the force from the portal was too strong and the two of them, along with their respective weapons were sucked into it before the portal closed.

As the two sons of Odin fell through the wormhole, Thor could not help but notice something strange happening to Loki. His brother was engulfed in some form of magic before he was finally transformed into a green horse with wings and a horn

"Brother?", Thor tried to reach for Loki, only to find that his hand was turned into a hoof, "What kind of dark sorcery is this?", he asked himself before he turned to a static-like noise above him.

Mjolnir was reacting violently as it fell above him before some of its magic hit Loki's scepter, activating it.

"This is not good", he said to himself as he watched Loki's scepter rip a hole in the wormhole they were falling through, "Loki!", he shouted to his brother who was awfully close to the hole.

"Oww….that smarts", Loki was awakened by Thor's shouts. However, the next moment, he fell into the rip in the wormhole with his scepter before it was closed.

"Loki!", Thor screamed as he watched his brother disappear

_At the same time, on an airplane_

"Wait….does that mean I'm going to fucking turn into a pony too?", Deadpool suddenly yelled, earning the attention of the other passengers

**Yup. And I'm gonna love writing severy single detail about it**

"Well, fuck you!", Deadpool groaned as he resumed reading a comic about him

"Sir, do you mind keeping it down?", a woman sitting behind him asked

"Go fuck yourself", he showed her the finger.

_A few minutes later_

"I'm sorry! I didn't know you were fucking undercover heheh", Deadpool smiled nervously as he was tied to the left wing of the airplane by Natasha Romanoff

"Now….you're gonna stay there quietly while the winds peel your skin back inch by inch, alright?", Natasha gave the mercenary an expressionless stare before she headed back to her seat

"Black Widow? Seriously?", Deadpool yelled, "Thanks for nothing, you worthless asshole!"

**You're welcome. Oh and by the way, did I forget to mention that Natasha strapped some lemons on your chest?**

"She did?", Deadpool asked before he noticed a some oval thingies on his chest, "Fuck me", he sighed.

_Meanwhile, inside a chamber of a huge castle in the middle of Ponyville_

"Uh….my head….", the former Asgardian, now a light brown alicorn with armor came to after falling through a portal, "Where am I?", he asked himself as he looked around

He was inside a library of sorts and in the middle; there was a mirror which was connected to some strange machinery. The moonlight glistened through the skylight, revealing the beautiful mirror while lighting the room up to some extent.

"Ahhh! What am I?", he shouted as he saw himself in the mirror. He was now a pony with wings and a horn and he was unconsciously levitating a hammer, "An equine? I ponder what sorts of magical shenanigans Loki has once again put me into", he growled as he stared at his new form

"Hello? Who's there?", he heard a female voice shout.

"It is me, Thor Odinson", he announced proudly.

"Azel, if this is one your pranks then I'm…", an orange mare wearing a hat appeared with a lamp, "W-Who the hay are you?", the mare asked, clearly surprised at seeing an alicorn.

"A talking horse? What is this? One of Loki's tricks?", Thor grumbled, "And to top it off, it's wearing a hat!"

"What's wrong with wearin' a hat?", the mare shouted, loud enough to wake everypony in the castle in Thor's opinion

"Where am I, strange talking horse?", Thor decided to embrace whatever trick Loki might have pulled off.

"Uhh…Ponyville, in Equestria…..your…..highness", the mare bowed, much to Thor's surprise.

"Ponyville? Equestria? I do not know of such a realm", Thor turned towards the mirror

"Huh? What do you mean?", the mare asked, "You're not from around here, are yeh?"

"I'm afraid not, miss….", Thor suddenly realized he had just called an animal a "miss"

"Applejack", the mare extended her hoof for a hoofshake with a smile on her face, "And you don't have to call me "miss""

"Okay….Jack of Apples….", Thor said awkwardly as he accepted the hoofshake before he remembered Loki being turned into a horse like him, "Have you seen a green horse like me around this….Equestria?"

"You mean there's another alicorn?", Applejack asked

"Alicorn? I do not understand", Thor had a genuine confused look on his face

"Err….wait here while I get help", Applejack said awkwardly before she rushed out of the room to alert the others.

"Alright, Jack of Apples", Thor nodded. Whatever Loki did, it had either teleported him to an unknown realm where talking ponies exist or it had completely messed his mind up. "Loki, what have you done?", Thor stared into the skylight to gaze at the beautiful moon.

_Inside Azel's room in Canterlot_

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

"Where the fuck am I?", I asked myself as I tried to recall how I got into the strange garden I was currently in. It seemed vaguely familiar yet there was an aura of distortion or something around it.

"Catch me if you can, Woona!", I heard a filly shout in a sweet little voice which was followed by a thud. The sound came from behind a bush so I decided to check it out.

"Got you!", another filly smirked as I tried to peep through the foliage.

"Ah! No fair!", the first filly said with a pout before I heard the hoofsteps of a much bigger pony approaching the two, "Mommy!", the filly ran towards the bigger pony

Of course, I could have gone closer but something told me that I had to stay put until the time was right…..whenever that was

"What is it, my dear Celestia?", the regal voice of the mare asked.

"Celestia?", I asked myself as I resisted the urge to suddenly pop up

"Woona keeps using magic whenever we play hide-and-seek", the filly replied. Woona - I chuckled a little at that word. I was trying to decide whether or not the filly was my sister when I found myself being levitated out of my hiding place.

"What the?", I asked myself as the three ponies stared at me

"Mommy! I found a spy!", the other filly squealed in delight. Apparently, she was the one who found me.

"I'm gonna call grandpa Darchy", the white filly wriggled free from her the mare's grasp, only to find herself being levitated back

"Now, now, my dear Celestia, this stallion's probably got a good reason for spying on us", the mare, who was really a light gray alicorn with a crimson mane said in a loving voice before she turned to me, "Who are you, stranger?", she asked me

"I…umm….I…ah….", I tried to stop stammering in her presence but I couldn't. This had never happened before so it was really hard trying to control myself.

"Celestia, Luna, would you two mind giving me and our guest some space? I promise we'll have some cake later", the mare gave the two fillies a smile.

"Okay", the white filly nodded before she turned to the other filly, "Come on, Woona! Let's play indoors"

"Wait up", the filly chased her sister

"Celestia? Luna?", I asked myself, "No fucking way…no fucking way…..no fucking way….", I repeated

"Ahem!", the mare made her presence known and snapped me back to reality, "Who are you?"

"T-Those two fillies…..they're Celestia and Luna?", I asked her

"Yes, they are. They're my daughters", she replied, "And you are?"

"I-I…am….I-I…", I kept stammering.

"I guess I have to do this again", she sighed before her horn glowed a brilliant yellow glow.

"W-What are you doing?", I asked as I felt her reaching inside my mind

"I won't hurt you", she gave me a heartwarming smile, "Since you can't tell me who you are, I've decided that I find it out myself", she added

After a few seconds, the glow on her horn disappeared and a surprised look came across her face.

"A-Azel? M-My son?", she moved closer

"M-mom?", I asked with some hope before she embraced me

"Azel….my son…..", I could feel her tears flow, "I wish I was there to take care of you through all those times", she cried. It was becoming quite clear that she had seen all those "Beast of Tartarus" shit.

"Mom…..I'm good…I'm okay", I placed my hooves around her as she covered me with her wings, "Don't say you're fucking sorry", I gave her a smile before I started crying as well

"I-I just wish…I was there for you when no one else was", she hugged me tighter

"But….how are I am…how are you….?", I tried to ask her as she had already passed on when I came into existence

"You travelled back in time…", she smiled, tears in her eyes, "….a gift from your grandfather", she added, "I am really glad that your life is happy now"

"I'm sorry", I buried my face in her soft fur, "Mom, I know I'll let you down and though you say my days are happy, I'm still fucked up", I cried when I said that. I wished I could spend the rest of my life in whatever this place was

"Don't cry", she wiped a tear from my eye, "It's alright. You have great friends and a great family in your sisters, Cadance and Twilight's family"

"Mom….it's not alright….but please don't place the blame on me because I never asked for this", it was becoming increasingly hard for me to speak properly. This was the first time I had met my mother, all I wanted to do was tell her how sorry I was and how much I loved her.

"You're fine…..I forgive you for all those and I won't garner hate because of what you did", she kissed me on my head, "I love you", she said in the sweetest voice I ever heard

"I love you too", I looked at her with a smile before I noticed my sisters, albeit much younger standing behind my mother with curious looks on their faces

"Mommy, who is this?", Celestia asked as me and my mother broke our hug to give room for the two fillies

"This….this a friend", she ushered the two near me, "Say hi"

"Hi!", the two fillies gave me the cutest smiles ever

"Aww…come here you two", I scooped them between my hooves and gave them a tight hug, "You two have a great future ahead of you", I chuckled while my mom giggled

"Enjoyed your short visit?", Darchrow suddenly teleported near us

"Grampa!", Celestia and Luna immediately ran towards the blue alicorn

"I am, thanks", I smiled. This was probably one of the best moments of my life

"Thank you for bringing him here", my mother bowed

"I figured I had not done that much for him so I gave him this little gift", Darchrow smirked before he turned to me, "I'm sorry, but Azel, we need to go back now"

"Do I have to?", I groaned as I hugged my mom, "Can't I stay here?"

"As much as it pains me to say this, little Azel….you don't belong here and you know that", Darchrow lowered his head

"I know…..I guess I have to go back", I said glumly before I turned to my mother, "W-Will I see you again?", I asked her

"Yes, you will see me again, my dear Azel", she replied

"I love you", I told her as we broke the hug. "And I'll always love you"

"Me too", she wiped a tear

"Goodbye, my daughter", Darchrow said before he conjured a strange spell which created a flash of bright light from me. The last sight I saw was my mother giving that beautiful smile.

"Did I just travel to the past?", I asked him as we floated in a white void

"Not physically, only mentally", he replied, "However, it's almost the same. Whatever you felt there was real; the only difference is that you were just a mere projection"

"Say what?", I raised an eyebrow

"Your body didn't feel anything because we left it behind, only your mind did", he explained

"Oh, I get it. When did you take me to the past anyway?", I asked

"I did it while you were asleep. It's one of the perks of being a fundamental", he smirked

"Well, thanks again", I gave him a hug, "My mom was everything I imagined her to be and more"

"Indeed she was. And if you're thinking about whether or not your mother would remember you, I can confidently say that she did", he smiled, "The past had been changed only a bit so it was possible for you to be remembered. Check her diary in your room, she's written something for you"

"Huh? There's a diary in my room?", I asked him

"I told you, you changed the past a bit. The diary suddenly existing is the only thing that changed", he said before light engulfed me, "Wake up and check it", he told me

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The next second, I woke up with a start. It was the middle of the night and I realized that I had cried in my sleep.

A satisfied smile came across my face as I found a book with an inkpot and quill symbol (my mom's cutie mark) on the cover.

"Well, let's see what this is", I thought as I opened the book.

It was filled with drawings and pictures as well as diary entries. I decided to check on the other stuff later and search for the day I would have met her. After a minute of browsing, I finally found it.

Trembling, I started to read the entry

"_Dear Diary,_

_Today was the happiest day of my life. Today was the day I was able to see all of my children in one place. Yes, I have a son. He's a handsome white stallion and his name is Azel. _

_My father, Darchrow had used the ancient Chronos Spell to bring him from the future where he currently lives. Seeing my three children in one place was really a beautiful and irreplaceable sight. _

_I do wish that I had more time to tell him how much I love him and how much I miss him. I don't know when he might be with me but I know that even if he's not with me, I'm always with him. And he…."_

I tried to continue but to my disappointment, the last sentence was burnt off. However, as I kept flipping the pages, a small note fell to the floor.

I levitated it towards me and found that it was a magical note, the kind that could also project sounds. I quickly unwrapped the note and my mother's soothing voice welcomed me

"_To_

_My son, Prince Azel_

_My dearest Azel, I hope that you can forgive me for not being able to get you through all those tough times. Please know that I still love you and that no matter where you are, no matter what you are, I will still love you. _

_Please take care of your sisters for me and do keep me in your memory. This note was specifically made so that only you would be able to open it. _

_I am always with you_

_With love_

_Your Mother,_

_Queen Faust"_

I was crying the whole time I read the diary and the note. I realized how fucking stupid I was. Even if my mother wasn't here physically, she was always there with me to guide me. I never realized that and as a result, I turned into a Beast.

"Thank you, mom", I smiled amidst my tears

"Azel?", Luna and Celestia slowly made their way towards my bed before they saw my tear-filled eyes, "

What's the matter?", the two of them sat next to me

"You know the Chronos Spell?", I asked them as I gave them a hug

"You mean the ancient spell?", Luna looked puzzled

"The same one", I replied, "She was really an awesome mom", I whispered

"Did you?", Celestia asked, open-mouthed

"Yep, read her diary", I levitated the diary near her

"Mother's diary!", Luna gasped, "I thought this was lost forever"

"It isn't", I smiled, "She's probably somewhere smiling at us right now", I chuckled before Celestia began to read the diary entry from the day I visited the past

"_Dear Diary…"_

**A/N: And this one's finished. This one got a bit emotional in the end but don't worry, it's gonna play a crucial role in the following chapters. See ya'll later.**

**And here's a summary of the last ten chapters :**

**Chapter 21 : Azel sacrifices himself to save Canterlot – Cylings Invasion is stopped – Cadance revives – Azel revives **

**Chapter 22 : Everypony goes to Crystal Empire – Celestia has a vision about Tirek – Azel becomes an alicorn – Tirek absorbs Azel's magic**

**Chapter 23 : Discord betrays his friends – Tirek absorbs all magic including Discord's – Twilight and Tirek face off – Azel gets some magic back and with his help, rainbow-powered mane six defeat Tirek – Twilight gets her own castle**

**Chapter 24 : What If**

**Chapter 25 : Azel dreams about Cupcakes – Crystal Mirror moved to Twilight's castle – Azel returns to the human world – Meets Chris, Flash, Sunset Shimmer and Twilight's friends – enters the Musical Showcase**

**Chapter 26 : Azel meets Chris' friends – Meets the Dazzlings – Twilight's friends try to warn Principal Celestia of the Dazzlings' plans but to no avail – Sunset Shimmer writes to Twilight for help – Twilight and Spike arrive – gives her friends warning about the girls – Azel rehearses with his band**

**Chapter 27 : Twilight's plan to defeat the Dazzlings fails – Sunset Shimmer suggest a counter-spell song – C Pasta not entered into the Battle of the Bands - Spends night at Pinkie's – Azel meets the creepypastas – Next morning, the C Pasta look for a place to rehearse**

**Chapter 28 : The Rainbooms decide to enter the Battle of the Bands for real – C Pasta meet the Rainbooms – The Rainbooms somehow manage to pass through the first round - The Dazzlings play with Azel's and Sunset Shimmer's feelings**

**Chapter 29 : Sunset Shimmer shunned by the Rainbooms – The Rainbooms reach the finals - Azel performs "Rap God" – Azel and the Rainbooms caught in Trixie's trap – The Rainbooms, with the help of C Pasta and Vinyl Scratch manage to defeat the Dazzlings – Azel, Twilight and Spike return to Equestria – Bane gives Deadpool a job**

**Chapter 30 : Deadpool tasked with killing Azel – Snowball fight in Equestria – Thor and Loki enter the portal at Canterlot High – Thor found by Applejack – Azel meets Queen Faust with the help of Darchrow**


	31. Chapter 31 : Nothing Left

**Chapter 31 : Nothing Left**

**A/N : The last chapter for this year. Well, can't believe we've got this far. Thanks for the support.**

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_In a dark alley in Manehatten, a falling projectile crashed into a small pile of trash_

"Hey...who are you?", A blue stallion asked the green pony who was groggily crawling out of the pile he was partially-buried.

"Strange", Loki smirked as he saw the blue stallion, "An equine that talks? Where am I?", he began to levitated his scepter which was near him

"Err...Manehatten...are you alright?", the stallion tried to help, only to find himself being forcibly thrown against a brick wall.

"Oh...I sure am fine, strange equine creature", Loki grinned before he saw his reflection on a dirty window to his side, "Hmm...this is absolutely interesting", he commented as he observe the wings and horn on his head.

"An a-alicorn? Here?", the stallion stared in awe at Loki

"Alicorn? Is that what I am?", Loki asked with a mischievous smile on his face, "It appears I can't use my normal magic in this form...only the magic I possess now", he said to himself before he noticed the stallion preparing to gallop away

"Oh no...you're not leaving, are you?", he grinned before he shot a beam from his scepter, making the stallion fly across the street and straight into a jeweler's store, "This is so interesting", he grinned before he proceeded to teleport right between the crowd that was gathering.

The small crowd gasped in shock as they saw the alicorn suddenly appear in front of them. Something about this place reminded Loki of the human world

"Is this the Prince?", a mare asked a pegasus

"No...Prince Azel's not an alicorn", she replied

"Hmm...these equines seem to be rather intelligent than I initially thought", he said to himself before he turned to the crowd, "Kneel before me!", he shouted as he thumped his scepter to the ground, causing a small shockwave that nearly caused everypony near him to drop to the ground.

"I said...Kneeel!", he yelled again as he saw that they weren't complying that easily

"Who are you?", one unicorn asked

"Your ruler", he smirked

"No you're not", the unicorn retorted, creating a chain reaction of boos and jeers

"Quiet!", he shouted, this time while disintegrating an entire building with one blast from his scepter. The crowd was silenced at once and they all soon kneeled at their positions, "You will do my bidding or else...", he growled before blasting two more buildings, "...you will be executed", he said

The crowd gasped at the power of Loki who was thoroughly fed up with trying to prove himself in front of every single audience.

"You!", he pointed his scepter at the unicorn who questioned him before

"M-Me?", the unicorn slowly stood up, trembling in fear of what Loki might do

"Tell me, who is the ruler of this forsaken realm?", he demanded

"P-Princess Celestia...Princess Luna...Princess Cadance...Prince Shining Armor...Princess Twlight and Prince Azel", she replied before she fainted

"Typical peasant", Loki scoffed, "Princesses?", he smirked, "Let them know what happened here", he grinned before he proceeded to blast every single building in sight.

Everypony in Manehatten cried their eyes out when they saw their homes and store being destroyed in a mere instant. Fortunately, nopony was injured let alone killed.

"I am Loki. And I am your future ruler", Loki floated above the crowd, "Tell them to find me or else this desolation will apply to you equines as well", he added, "I may be from someplace you may or may not know of but now, I claim this world as my own"

As the crowd fixed their eyes on him, Loki teleported away, knowing for sure that whoever these rulers were, he would be meeting them soon.

The last thing he remembered was floating through a rip in the fabric of space, only to find himself falling from the sky the next second and right onto a pile of trash. He had expected the denizens to be mindless beasts but since they showed some signs of intelligence, he decided that this realm would be the perfect place to start his empire which he had dreamt of for a long time.

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

_Back in Canterlot, three siblings were happily discussing their lives in the bedroom of the youngest_

"Luna, remember this?", Celestia giggled as she levitated a picture of Star Swirl the Bearded who looked like he had been out in the rain

"Another Star Swirl photo?", I groaned, "And why is he soaked?"

"It was one of our pranks", Luna replied, "Star Swirl was a great friend and the butt of all our pranks"

"So, what about this?", I took an old photo of myself, filly Luna and filly Celestia, "I did not fucking remember this being taken"

"That's not a photo", Celestia told me, "This is merely a memory of sorts", she sighed, "Of our mother"

"You can make pictures from memory?", I asked

"It was one of our mother's special skills", Luna replied, "Aww...we're so cute back then", she cooed

"Really? To be honest, I still think you two still look just as cute right now", I smirked

"That's so nice of you, Azel", Celestia nuzzled me

"Your highness", a guard knocked on the door, "I've received an urgent message from Princess Twilight Sparkle"

"What is it?", Celestia got off the bed to read the magical scroll presented in front of her, "Oh my", she said after a few seconds

"What's the matter?", I asked as Luna and I followed her

"Twilight says that an alicorn named Thor appeared out of nowhere inside her castle", Celestia replied

"Thor? Funny name", I chuckled, "Anyway, do you think we should check this alicorn out?"

"Most definitely", Celestia nodded, "If it truly is an alicorn, I would like to hear about him/her"

"I'll get the royal chariot ready", Luna galloped away

"I'll just fly", I grinned nervously before Celestia grabbed me, "What?", I asked her

"You promised mother that you would take care of us so you can't just leave us like that", she smirked

"Are you fucking serious?", I raised an eyebrow

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you won't throw up", she gave me a smile

"Meh, I'll take it", I shrugged as we headed out of my bedroom

True to her word, Celestia casted a stabilization spell that prevented me from getting nauseous and shit during the trip to Ponyville.

As the base of Twilight's castle came into view, I could see that there were seven ponies waiting for us : Twilight and her friends and the alicorn in question.

We landed rather softly for my sake before I quickly hopped off the chariot. Twilight Sparkle was the first one to greet us.

"Thanks for coming", Twilight bowed her head in reverence before she turned to the alicorn stallion that was standing with the others, "This is the alicorn I was telling you about. His name is Thor", she said

"Pleasure meeting you, fair princesses", this "Thor" galloped forward and proceeded to kiss the hooves of my sisters, making them blush and giggle

"You fucking do that again, I'm fucking you up", I growled as he stood before me

"And you must the Princess of Love", he smiled before he lifted my hoof up

"Say what?", I raised an eyebrow

"Umm…Thor….that's not Princess Cadance", Twilight awkwardly pulled him away, "That's Prince Azel"

"Oh…", Thor blushed as he realized he made a dumb mistake, "My apologies, sire", he bowed before me while Applejack and Rainbow Dash laughed out loud.

"Whatever", I mumbled as I went towards Rainbow Dash and Applejack with a devilish grin, "Haha very funny….you two want a kiss on the hoof or something", I grinned

"N-nope", Applejack quickly replied, flustered at the reply

"H-Hay no!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed while everypony else giggled

"It is a pleasure meeting you too, Thor", Celestia told the light brown, blonde maned, hammer-levitating alicorn, "To be honest, I have never heard of you before"

"I do not blame you for that, fair princess", Thor respectfully replied, "You see, I come from a realm called Asgard which, I believe is far away from this world I am currently In"

"Asgard?", Luna asked, "Pray, do tell us more about who or what you really are"

"I am the son of Odin and the wielder of Mjolnir", he proudly showed his hammer, "I am a god", he added

""I am a god"", I mocked him from the sidelines

"Darling, please be a little quiet", Rarity shushed

"Sorry", I smiled sheepishly

"Him and his brother were teleported here through the Crystal Mirror by accident", Twilight explained

"Brother?", I asked. "I don't see anypony else"

"It is because while we were transported to your world, my brother's scepter ripped a hole in the portal, probably displacing him somewhere", Thor replied, "I dread what might happen to him"

"Umm…Thor, can I ask you a question?", Fluttershy said timidly

"Of course, why not?", Thor smiled

"If you came from the mirror, then does that mean you're a human?", Fluttershy asked

'Well, us Asgardians look like humans but we are more advanced in everything", Thor proudly said

"So, you're like the alicorns of the human world?", Pinkie bounced around the stallion

"I guess you could say that", Thor replied before he turned to Twilight, "This Pinkie of Pies, she's an enthusiastic one, isn't she?"

"She sure is", Twilight giggled

"Thor, do you mind telling us what you're planning to do now?", Celestia interrupted

"Well, all I want to do now is find my brother and return to our homeworld", Thor replied with a serious look on his face, "Princess Twilight has already told me that the portal is still intact so I would be able to return whenever I wanted"

"Okay, so where do you think your brother is now?", I wanted to get rid of Mr. "Loreal" Commercial as soon as possible

"I have no idea of his whereabouts but if he is still on this world, he would probably be where destructions occur", he replied

The next second, a messenger pegasus arrived with a report for Celestia who quickly began to read it

"What is it, dear sister?", Luna asked eagerly

"It seems like a green alicorn was causing some troubles in Manehattan", Celestia replied as she put the report away

"Green alicorm? Yes, it must be Loki", Thor suddenly recalled, "I remember him transforming into a green equine with wings and a horn"

"If he really is as troublesome as you say he is, I suppose we have to stop him as soon as possible", Applejack suggested

"I know somepony's who's in Manehattan!", Fluttershy said before everypony turned to her

"Who is it?", Celestia asked

"Discord", Fluttershy replied with a smile

"Him of all ponies", I groaned

"Hmmm….he has good observation skills so if he is really in Manehattan, then we can ask him about this brother of yours", Celestia told Thor

"So be it. I must get Loki and head back to our world", Thor said as Celestia conjured a spell to instantly teleport Discord to us

After a few seconds, a zipper suddenly appeared in front of us before it unzipped. A 3D glasses wearing Discord stepped out with a packet of popcorn

"Aww….I was in the middle of a movie", Discord pouted before the popcorn and 3D glasses vanished

"Discord, are you alright? We heard there was some trouble in Manehattan", Fluttershy asked with concern in her eyes

"Ah yes, I'm okay, thanks for asking", Discord showed us his stable heart rate, "And about the trouble, there was one green alicorn who was destroying some dozen buildings or so"

"That must be Loki!", Thor exclaimed before bowing before Discord, "Thank you for sharing your knowledge, strange dragon creature"

"I could get used to this", Discord smirked while we stared at him in disgust, "Anyway, the alicorn was using a scepter to demolish the structures. It seems like a really powerful weapon"

"Then we better make a fail-proof plan just in case he heads over here", Twilight said

"He seemed pretty chaotic to me", Discord grinned, "And that's saying a lot especially when it's coming from me"

"Yes, my brother does have a tendency to court trouble", Thor replied, "And if he is able to use his scepter, then we need to subdue him before he gets to us first"

"Discord, could you keep track of him and report whatever he is doing?", Celestia asked

"Me? Why me?", Discord pretended to look sad

"Please", Fluttershy pleaded

"Oh, alright", Discord happily said, "I'll tell you everything he is doing", with a snap, Discord disappeared from sight

"Thor, are you sure we can defeat him?", Spike asked

"I believe if we all joined forces, we can stop him, little dragon", Thor nodded

"Yeah...Woo! Hoo!", I sarcastically cheered, "If anypony needs me, I'll be reading some books inside the library", I headed towards Twilight's castle, only to find myself being levitated back by Twilight

"Azel, we all need to stay together", Twilight said, "If Loki's truly as powerful as Thor says he is, we need all the help we can get"

"Alright", I sighed, "I just hope I don't get my ass kicked again this time", I smirked

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_In the outskirts of Canterlot_

"Puny creatures", Loki smirked as he burned tree after tree, grinning in sadistic joy as he witnessed the critters running away from him.

"Ah...I wouldn't do that if I were you", a voice chuckled behind me

"Show yourself", Loki demanded

"Fluttershy wouldn't like what you just did", Discord floated above Loki before taking off his horned helmet, revealing his black mane

"I do not know any "Fluttershy"s, dragon creature", Loki grinned before reaching for his helmet which Discord playfully kept out of his reach, "Give me that!", Loki grunted as he tried to snatch his helmet from the draconequus' grasp

"Nope", Discord chuckled

"Enough of these games", Loki growled before he blasted Discord with his scepter, shattering Discord's body into smaller Discords

"Now, now, that's not very nice", the small Discords said in unison before they joined together to reform into one Discord

"W-What in Odin's name are you?", Loki asked in disbelief

"I am Discord", Discord replied as he placed Loki's helmet on his head, "Oh yes...this is so comfortable. I get why you're so protective of this", he grinned

"Hmmm...you seem to be quite powerful, Discord", Loki sported a mischievous smile

"Thank you", Discord bowed, "But don't try that flattery stuff. Fallen for it before, won't do it again", he made a Pinkie Promise

"What was that?", Loki raised an eyebrow

"That was a Pinkie Promise", Discord replied, "It's a promise my friends use to make"

"Friends? Are you talking about these...ponies?", Loki asked

"Yup", Discord said proudly

"Why associate with these lower forms when you can have all the power in this world?", Loki smirked

"Sorry, Reindeer Games, I'm reformed. I've a change of heart", Discord chuckled

"Heart?", Loki grinned maniacally before touching Discord's chest with his scepter. Loki expected the draconequus to fall under his control or something but instead a strange blue orb surrounded Discord

"Hey! What've you done?", Discord shouted as he tried to get out of the orb, only to be zapped mercilessly by some bolts of magic

"Interesting", Loki smiled, "This equine magic must've have changed my Asgardian magic as well", he said to himself before he turned to Discord, "I'll take that, thank you very much", Loki reached and grabbed his helmet from Discord's head

"I can't get out", Discord grunted as he thought of a way to escape this prison

"Force yourself out and you will be fried to a crisp in a split-second", Loki smirked as he flew away, leaving the draconequus inside his magical prison by himself.

A few minutes later, as Discord glumly sat inside the blue orb he received a telepathic message from Celestia

"Discord, any signs of Loki?", Celestia asked. Discord suddenly remembered that he could send an S.O.S. to the others

"Yes, I saw him", Discord replied

"Good, and where he is now?", Celestia asked again

"He trapped me in some strange blue orb and he's currently flying towards Canterlot", Discord said, "I'm going to need some help"

"Where are you? We'll come and get you", Celestia had a surprised tone in her voice

"I'm in the forest near Canterlot, you won't miss me", Discord replied, "Oh, and if you do see Loki, don't hesitate to attack and do not let him touch you with his scepter"

"Alright, we're coming", Celestia assured him as she broke contact.

_Back in the human world, near the portal in Canterlot High_

"Well, looks like someone fried this portal", Deadpool, who was covered in bandages observed a crack in the statue

"You can still pass through. Just don't let anyone see you", Bane told him before he disappeared

"Puh-lease, like anyone would come to school this late", he chuckled as he prepared to dive into the portal

"Excuse me, who are you?", a girl asked him

"You just had to go and do that, didn't you?", Deadpool groaned

**Sorry, my bad**

"One of these days...", Deadpool grumbled before he turned his attention to the crimson haired girl, "Shoo! Go away!"

"Err...okay...", the girl shrugged before she went away, "...weirdo", she muttered

"Alright, where was I?", Deadpool asked himself

**You were about to hump the statue**

"Ah yes", Deadpool smirked before he brought his pelvis near the statue, "Oh...fuck you!", he yelled

**You're welcome**

"I swear...if I can get my hands on you...", Deadpool mumbled before he faced the portal, "Here's goes nothing", he dove right in

The next second, he found himself flying through a wormhole.

Another second later, his body slowly began to change

"Can't say I didn't expect that", Deadpool sighed as he transformed into a red unicorn. His cutie mark was obstructed by his outfit so it didn't really matter if we saw it.

"Cutie mark?", Deadpool laughed hysterically, "Lol shittiest crap I've ever heard of hahahaha!"

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

_Inside Twilight's castle_

After some minutes of pleading and begging, my sister finally allowed me to go and get a book from Twilight's library inside her castle

"Daring Do...Daring Do...Daring...ah hah!", I said in joy as I pulled out a "Daring Do and the Last Crusader" from a shelf

As I tried to leave, I couldn't help notice the Crystal Mirror shine a bit

"What the fuck?", I asked myself before a red unicorn flew out of the portal

"Thanks for nothing, dumbass", the unicorn mumbled as he held his head. He had no mane but he had a black tail and no cutie mark. It looked like he was wearing some outfit or shit.

"Who the fuck are you?", We asked each other

"I asked you first!", I yelled

"No fucks were given", the unicorn crossed his arms before he noticed me clearly, "Hey! You can talk!", he shouted

"No shit, Sherlock", I mumbled as we stared at each other

**A/N : And that's it for the last chapter of the year. Hope we'll see other next year. See ya.**

**Spoiler Alert : Dota 2 hero appearance**


	32. Chapter 32 : Disregard

**Chapter 32 : Disregard**

**A/N : Happy New Year, everyone. Yep, this will be the first chapter of this year. Enjoy this one ya'll.**

"So, who in the fuck are you?", I asked the masked unicorn

"None of your fucking business", he smirked before he tried to blast me with a beam from his horn

"Oh no, you don't", I grinned, preparing to shoot a Counter Beam

"That's your target...", a faint voice said

"What the?", I asked as I looked around for the owner of the voice

"And what about that magic of yours?", the masked unicorn paced around until he was enveloped by a familiar form of magic, "Hell yeah!", the unicorn grinned as he was powered up with dark magic

"Bane", I growled, readying myself for whatever shit was gonna happen

"So, I take it you're Prince Azel", the unicorn smirked before he suddenly appeared behind me, "The name's Deadpool", he whispered, brandishing a magical gun of sorts

"Shit!", I exclaimed, barely managing to avoid being hit. The shots were pretty fast and if this Deadpool guy was able to anticipate my moves, he would've easily got me.

"Stay still, motherfucker!", he grunted as shot after shot was fired, each one whizzing past me

"Fuck you!", I decided to fight back. The next second, I rammed him towards a window, however, he managed to push back and throw me right into a table.

"See you in hell, asshole", he smirked as he pointed the gun right at my face.

Suddenly, an orange mare kicked him from behind, sending him flying towards a window.

"Get away from him!", Applejack shouted as she stood between me and Deadpool, "Are you alright, Azel?", she asked me. There were only three of us in the castle : me, Applejack and Spike

"I'm okay", I growled, fixing my eyes on my aggressor, "Is that all you've fucking got?", I smirked as Deadpool prepared to jump out of the window

"This ain't over yet!", he yelled before shooting a parting shot, hitting me on my right shoulder, instantly numbing the hoof, "See ya", he chuckled before he escaped

"Damn", I mumbled, holding my hoof and watching the would-be assassin gallop away into the darkness of the night. If he had hit me on my chest, I would've been dead.

"Azel!", Applejack quickly made me lean on her

"I'll be alright", I told her as I slowly healed myself, "Can't believe that fucker managed to shoot me"

"Who was that?", she asked

"Deadpool. Probably another of Bane's henchmen", I growled as the feelings in my shoulder and hoof returned

"Looks like an assassin or somethin'", she said

"Oh, and he came from the mirror", I told her what I saw before

"The mirror? Does that mean he's a human?", Applejack asked

"Probably. But don't worry, he may be strong but as long as we aren't alone, we can kick his ass", I chuckled before Spike entered the room

"What happened? I heard some stuff breaking", he said

"Somepony attacked Azel but we made him retreat", Applejack replied

"What!? How could he enter the castle?", Spike asked, surprised that the castle's defenses didn't detect Deadpool

"He came from the mirror", I pointed to the Crystal Mirror, "Must be a human", I levitated a burger near me

"Human in Equestria?", Spike exclaimed, "This is bad. This is so bad. We must tell the princesses", he added as he ran out of the room

"Good idea", Applejack followed the dragon before turning to me, "You comin' or what?"

"Sure", I nodded, "Just don't tell them about what happened to me or they'll freak out like shit"

"Of course", Applejack giggled. Little did we know, a certain "bug" had heard every single word we said

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_Inside the library of Twilight's castle_

A six legged orange armored beetle removed his cloaking and inspected the surroundings. He had followed the human called Deadpool ever since he set foot near Canterlot High. His purpose was to eliminate the Asgardian named Thor.

He was witnessing the fight between the two brothers and tried to follow them into the portal but he had to wait until Bane's magic opened it. Now, he was in Equestria, an assassin among equines, readying himself for the final strike that would end the Asgardian's life.

"Assassination is inevitable", he snickered as he skittered out of the castle and into the open, undetectable by any eyes.

The Nyx Assassin recalled what his goddess had commanded him to do.

Find the Princess of the Night and eliminate all the threats.

Thor was a recent addition to his list of targets. He had doubts but he did not dare defy the will of Nyx.

For now, something told him to wait until he would reveal himself. The only blood that would be shed will be of the son of Odin's. One way or another, he was going to get him.

_Near Canterlot, inside Celestia's castle_

Luna and the rest of the main six waited impatiently while Celestia and Thor searched for the imprisoned Discord.

"I can't take this anymore!", Rainbow Dash voiced her frustration at being forced to wait, not even knowing what might have happened to the two alicorns, "I'm going to search for them"

"Rainbow Dash, stop!", Twilight used her magic to prevent her friend from flying off

"What if Loki got to them? We all heard from Thor how powerful he is", Rainbow Dash protested

"Yes we know that but we have to put our faith in Princess Celestia and Thor. They're also powerful alicorns, they'll be able to handle it", Twilight assured her

"Twilight Sparkle is right", Luna agreed, "All we can do now is wait and hope for the best"

"I do hope Discord's not harmed in anyway. He sounded so worried", Fluttershy could even dare to imagine what this "Loki" might do to her friend

"I'm sure he'll be fine, darling", Rarity told her

"Look! They're back!", Pinkie bounced happily as she saw Celestia, Thor and a bit roughed up Discord enter the throne room

"Sister, is everything alright?", Luna quickly went towards the three

"Discord was a bit hurt but it's nothing too serious", Celestia replied as the mares huddled around the draconequus

"It is certainly strange that Loki did not manage to put this poor creature under his control", Thor commented, "It usually happens when he touches someone in the heart with his scepter"

"I don't know what happened but it felt like something inside me prevented me from being controlled by him", Discord added before Fluttershy hugged him

"Are y-you alright?", she asked him

"Aside from being almost fried I'm okay", Discord replied with a smile that cheered up the yellow pegasus

"When I get my hooves on Loki, I am so going to beat his sorry butt", Rainbow Dash growled

"Watch your words, winged horse", Thor reprimanded her, "Loki may be a criminal but he is still my brother"

"He destroyed dozens of buildings", Rarity said

"And burnt almost half of the nearby woods", Celestia added

"And harmed me", Discord smirked

"He's adopted", Thor quickly looked away

"Anyway, where is Loki? I thought you said he was heading this way", Twilight asked

"We traced his movements but it appears he went towards Ponyville instead", Celestia replied, making the mares gasp

"Oh no! Azel and the others are still in Ponyville!", Twilight suddenly remembered

"We better head over there as soon as possible", Luna said as she prepared a mass teleportation spell

_Somewhere near Ponyville_

"Nyx Nyx", the Nyx Assassin repeated as he quickly made his way towards Canterlot.

"My my, look who's here", he heard a smirk behind him. On instinct, he slammed his huge claws in the direction of the sound, creating a wave of spiked rocks from the ground.

"Burrowing", he growled before Loki revealed himself, floating above the famed assassin

"The Nyx Assassin, I presume", Loki smirked as he faced the giant beetle

"Who are you, stranger?", the Nyx Assassin asked in his chilling voice

"I am Loki", Loki replied, "And I believe you are after my brother, are you not?"

"I will succeed, the chosen of Nyx knows not failure", the Nyx Assassin showed Loki his claws, "Step aside, equine"

"Too bad", Loki grinned as he watched the Nyx Assassin preparing to use Vendetta, "I was willing to give you a tip or two on how to defeat my brother"

"Spew your knowledge", the Nyx Assassin placed his claws dangerous close to Loki's neck

"Lend me your assistance and I will help you rid me of Thor Odinson", Loki replied

"Nyx Nyx", the Nyx Assassin mumbled as he prepared to ask the opinion of his goddess

"Yes, it was really nice reaching her heart", Loki muttered. He had met this...Nyx goddess some nights ago and he managed to get to her heart. He had always admired the handiwork of her assassin so he wanted to test if he could get the job done. And gaining control of the goddess' mind worked like a charm.

"Nyx approves of this alliance", the Nyx Assassin said after a few seconds of silence, "What is your plan, armorless one?"

"It's simple", Loki grinned, "We kill the Thor"

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

_At Ponyville's town square_

"What's taking them so long?", I groaned while we waited the arrival of my sisters and the others

"I do hope they were able to save Discord", Applejack said

"Ah! There they are", Spike said in delight as they all teleported some distance away from us

"Looks like Discord's just fine", I smirked while eating a burger

"Oh, you're all okay", Twilight heaved a sigh of relief as she saw us, "Did anything happen?"

"Something did happen", Spike replied, "A human came from Equestria and attacked Azel but we managed to scare him off"

"Human!?", everypony except for Thor and I gasped

"What's a human doing here?", Celestia asked

"I have no idea", I shrugged

"Why would a human attack Azel?", Rainbow Dash scratched her head in deep thought

"He said something about me being a target", I told them, "But then again, I'm always a target"

"Are you sure he was hostile? Maybe he was just scared that he was suddenly teleported to our world", Luna asked

"Yep, after what I saw, I can safely say that he came to Equestria with a purpose", Applejack replied confidently

"What does he look like anyway?", Rarity asked me

"Unicorn with no mane and no cutie mark, black tail and a red outfit of some sort", I answered, "Oh, and the name's Deadpool by the way"

"Well, whoever this Deadpool is, we'll have to deal with him later", Twilight said, "Right now, we have to worry about Loki"

"Indeed", a voice chuckled before hundreds of green alicorns surrounded all of us.

"Who the fuck is that?", I asked

"That's Loki", Discord replied, "Those must be his clones"

"How about we make this a lot easier and less messier", the Loki clones said in unison, "Hand my brother to me and give me your kingdom", they ordered

"Loki! Stop this! This is no time for games!", Thor shouted

"Oh, dear brother, when are you going to learn?", they snickered, "This has always been a game", they began charging energy on each of their scepters, "And you've lost!"

With that, the clones shot a blue beam towards us. While the others braced for impact, my sisters and I created a shield that prevented the shots from going through

"Um...Thor...what are you doing?", Twilight asked as Thor bashed his hammer on the ground before it lit up

"Damn you, Loki!", Thor yelled before releasing a bolt of lightning from his hammer which went through all the clones , making each one of them disappear

"Remind me not to make him mad", I told Fluttershy

"He's gone!", Pinkie gasped before she saw one Loki smiling at us from a distance, "Oh, there he is"

"I hope you do enjoy your time as ruler of this realm, princess", Loki smirked

"Loki, surrender and give yourself in", Celestia demanded

"Like that's gonna work", I told Spike

"I have a bad feeling about this", Spike covered his eyes

"Why waste your time with me when your precious castle burns from the inside", Loki grinned before he flew towards the Everfree Forest

"Drat! What is he up to?", Rainbow Dash asked as she prepared to pursue Loki

"I don't know but I think there's something going on in Canterlot", Twilight replied

"Somepony needs to head over and check if everything's okay", I told them

"I'll go", Luna immediately volunteered

"What? No fucking way, let me go with you", I said. I was sure as hell not going to let my sister go alone at a time like this

"Azel, I'll be fine", she assured me, "Besides I'll call for all of you if I need help"

"Alright, I understand", Celestia nodded, "You go and if anything goes wrong, alert us", she added before Luna teleported back to Canterlot

"Where's Thor?", Fluttershy asked

"I think Silver Tummy is already on Loki's tracks", Discord replied

"Come on, we better do the same", I suggested before we all headed towards the Everfree Forest

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_Meanwhile, inside the throne room of Canterlot castle_

"Are you positive the princesses will be here?", Deadpool asked as he hid behind a banner

"Yes...and when they return, you will use my magic to kill the princesses, rendering the others helpless to my attack", Bane replied, disappearing soon after

"Great. So I have to go all stealthy and shit", Deadpool groaned before he took out his magical gun, "At least I'm getting paid", he smirked

**Keep it down, the guards might hear you**

"Don't tell me what to do", Deadpool scowled, "If you know what's good for you"

**That's a nice threat you've got there. It would be a shame if someone...**

"Alright! Alright! Jeez! Just cut me some slack, will ya?", Deadpool facepalmed himself before he heard the hoofsteps of somepony just outside the throne room

As Deadpool kept watch from his hiding place, an alicorn entered the room, engaged in a conversation with a guard

"Are you sure that there's nothing wrong?", Luna asked the guard

"Well, aside from a curtain being burned by Philemona, everything's fine", the guard replied

"Philomena burned a curtain? Never heard her do that before", Luna raised an eyebrow as she approached her throne, "Scour the castle again and if there's nothing happening, you can take a break"

"Thank you, your highness", the guard bowed before he left, leaving only Deadpool and Luna inside the throne room

"I better tell my sister that everything is okay", Luna thought, producing a quill and a scroll to write on

The next second, a phoenix flew inside and landed near Luna, almost making Deadpool squeal

"The fuck", Deadpool whispered to himself

"Philomena!", Luna patted the phoenix, "Did you burn a curtain?", she asked the phoenix to which Philomena shook her head

"Talking ponies to phoenixes. Great, what's next? A gigantic bug assassin?", Deadpool groaned before the lights went out

**You just had to say that, didn't you?**

"Shut up", Deadpool whispered loudly as he heard some movement

The room was illuminated a bit by Luna and Philomena who looked around for any signs of movement or something

"Well, guess this is the best chance to attack", Deadpool shrugged before he charged towards the princess with his magical gun

"W-Who are you?", Luna shone her light at the mercenary

"The name's Deadpool, ma'am", Deadpool snickered, "Sure am sorry to say your days are numbered", he added as he prepared to shoot

The next second, Philomena began scratching Deadpool with her talons, leaving burn marks on the unicorn

"Get the fuck off!", Deadpool grunted before he grabbed the phoenix, "Fucking bird!", he growled, throwing Philomena upwards so that he could shoot Luna, "Lights out, babe", he smirked as he fired a shot

"Oh no", Luna gulped, watching the magical projectile heading towards her

Suddenly, a huge figure absorbed the projectile before firing a blue bolt of magic at Deadpool, making him fly out of the throne room

"Drat! Two times in one chapter? Really?", he groaned as he quickly galloped out of the castle to recuperate.

"Guards!", Luna shouted for back-up, catching the attention of the figure

"Bad idea", the figure, which looked like a giant shell, chuckled

"Princess Luna!", a unicorn guard yelled back as he and four other unicorns entered the throne room.

"What is that thing!?", a guard exclaimed when he shone his light at the figure, revealing it to be a huge beetle-like creature

"Stay away from the princess!", another guard commanded with a trembling voice as they prepared to shoot at the bug

"Nyx will not be denied", the bug growled as he slowly inched closer and closer towards Luna

"Fire!", a guard shouted before they shot beams of magic from their horns.

"Dark reflection", the bug merely snickered as his whole armor was covered in magical spikes. As soon as the beams hit the Spike Carapace of the bug, the guards found themselves being immobilized by similar spikes before they fell to the ground, unconscious

"W-What have you done to them?", Luna was too terrified to even act properly

"Nyx Nyx", the creature simply replied.

Suddenly, the lights came back on and Luna was able to see exactly what was happening in her surroundings

Four unicorn guards laid motionless, though there were scratch marks on their bodies, they weren't harmed that much. However, the most surprising thing that behold her eyes was the orange armored beetle standing in front of her

"W-What are you?", Luna asked as the bug raised his claws

"I am the Nyx Assassin", the bug answered before his eyes widened, "No...it can't be!", he quickly scurried away, "I made a mistake...I made a mistake", he repeated before using Vendetta to avoid being detected

Luna could not say anything. She was so close to meeting her end yet this...Nyx Assassin abruptly left before he could finish her.

"Mistake?", she asked herself before other guards arrived

"What happened here?", a guard asked

"Get them help", Luna quickly ordered while she tended to her sister's injured pet

"Are you alright, princess?", the guard tried to approach her

"I'm alright, they need help...quick!", she replied before she began thinking about the strange bug that saved her and almost killed her in the space of a minute

_Meanwhile, near a stream on the south of Canterlot castle_

"Nyx...forgive me...forgive me...", the Nyx Assassin pleaded for forgiveness, "Luuuuna...", he whispered to himself

He was an inch away from killing the Princess of the Night, a pure hearted embodiment of the goddess Nyx. He had met Luna before when she was but a little filly.

However, it seemed that she did not remember him and all those times she treated him as a friend rather than a pet. It was before he was reborn under the power of Nyx as an assassin for her.

He could not blame her for not recognizing him, however. He had been with her for only a year but that did not stop her from loving him. And when the day came when he had to die so he could have a bigger purpose, she cried for him.

He was selected to protect her before he would become the Nyx Assassin and as a result, he never saw her again until now

"What now?", the Nyx Assassin asked his goddess for guidance. After a few seconds of deep meditation, he could his reply.

Spare Luna and no one else.

With the new order in mind, the Nyx Assassin slipped away, putting his plan to work once again.

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

_In the middle of the Everfree Forest_

"Damn! This is taking forever", I groaned as we continued our search for Loki and Thor

"Azel's right, Princess Celestia", Twilight told her mentor, "We're halfway through the Everfree Forest and there's no sign of the brothers"

"We'll take a break near the Tree of Harmony and then, we'll head back to Canterlot", Celestia said as the Tree of Harmony came into view

Suddenly, Luna teleported near us, looking like she had just seen a ghost or something

"Whoa! Luna? What's wrong?", I asked her

"Two fiends entered the castle and...", she took a second to catch her breath, "...they tried to kill me"

"What!?", we all exclaimed in shock

"W-Wha...who were they?", I quickly asked

"The Deadpool character you talked about and a strange bug creature", she replied

"I told you we shouldn't have let her go alone", I told Celestia

"I will look into this as soon as we return", Celestia said sternly, "We may be dealing with something very sinister here"

"There's somepony near the tree", Rarity told us as she saw two ponies standing near the tree

"It's Loki and Thor!", Pinkie exclaimed. Loki was grinning maniacally, lodging his scepter near the Tree of Harmony while Thor was held by some magical bonds.

"Get back!", Thor shouted

"Yes, do heed my brother", Loki smirked, "Any step further and this scepter pierces the roots of this pathetic tree, instantly destroying it and all the magic it has"

"You wouldn't dare!", Rainbow Dash yelled

"Try me", Loki grinned as he began to slowly drive the scepter closer towards the Tree of Harmony's roots

"No! Stop!", Twilight pleaded

"So...let me repeat what I said to you", Loki walked around the scepter, " Give me your kingdom or else you can kiss this Tree goodbye"

"Why you motherfucker...", I growled, trying to attack him before I was stopped by Twilight and Applejack

"What will be your answer, princess? I do hope you make a good decision", Loki smirked

"Tia...", Luna turned to her older sister

"I..I..", Celestia stammered before the Nyx Assassin suddenly appeared alongside Loki

"Ah, you're back. I take it you succeeded", Loki said in a mocking tone while keeping his eyes on Luna

"Shut up, armorless", the Nyx Assassin gave him a glare

"What in the fuck is that?", I stared open-mouthed at the orange bug

"That's the bug creature I talked about", Luna whispered, "Though there seems to be something familiar about it"

"Familiar? I've never seen anything like it in my entire fucking life", I replied

"It doesn't look very nice", Fluttershy squeaked

"I haven't got all day, princess", Loki told Celestia, "What's your decision?"

"...you...win", Celestia lowered her head in defeat

"Crap", I groaned as I glared at the green alicorn, "I am so fucking you up later", I mumbled

"Good choice", Loki grinned before he used his magic on Thor's hammer, creating a violent web of electricity which formed a cage around us, "You see, I discovered a rather unique way of using equine magic. And that cage you are in...it will restrict any kind of magical exertion from the inside so there's no chance you will be able to get out"

"Two times in the space of an hour", Discord grumbled

"Thor! Can't you get out?", Applejack asked the bound alicorn

"I am sorry, Jack of Apples", Thor bowed, "This form is not strong enough to break free of my imprisonment"

"What about him?", the Nyx Assassin pointed to Thor, "Nyx wants him dead"

"We'll get to it", Loki patted him, "Guard them while I announce to this world's denizens that there is now a new ruler", he smirked before he teleported away

"Well, this day's totally fucked up", I crossed my hooves as I sat

"I understand your frustration, Prince Azel", Thor said, "I have been in similar situations too"

"Thanks for the empathy", I sarcastically replied

"Discord, is there nothing you can do?", Fluttershy asked the draconequus

"I'm afraid being hit with the scepter took a toll on me", he replied

"This is like that Tirek shit all over again", I mumbled before I turned to the Nyx Assassin, "Yo, bug dude, what's with you and Loki?"

"He promised me that I would be the one to take the Asgardian's life", the Nyx Assassin placed a claw near Thor

"Then what's going to happen next?", I asked

"I will leave this plane of reality to search for my next target", he simply replied

"You really think Loki's just going to let you get away with this?", I shouted, "He's a mastermind. He'll manipulate you"

"What Prince Azel said is right...he can take control of any being he wants", Thor added

"He wouldn't dare", the Nyx Assassin growled before he turned to Luna, "He wouldn't dare to hurt you", he looked straight into Luna's eyes

"Why did you hesitate back in the castle?", Luna decided to question the bug

"Because...I realized I made a mistake", the Nyx Assassin replied, much to my surprise. I did not expect him to answer Luna's question truthfully, it was almost like he feared her or something

"What mistake?", Luna asked

"I owed you once", the Nyx Assassin turned his back on us, "You are special to me..."

"Special? I don't understand", Luna said

"You were...my friend", the Nyx Assassin replied, "Luna...", he whispered as everypony stared in shock

**A/N : SWERVE! Well, that Nyx Assassin backstory stuff turned out better than expected. Don't worry, everything will be explained. Stay tuned.**


	33. Chapter 33 : Just Like Before

**Chapter 33 : Just Like Before**

**A/N : Well, thanks for the near 350 reviews, you guys are absolutely awesome. Please give this one a read. Cheerio!**

"Nerub?", Luna asked, her eyes widening at the sudden revelation

"I am sorry, Princess of the Night", the Nyx Assassin lowered his chitinous head in shame,

"Wait…hold on…let me get this shit straight", I was the first to speak out of all the mindblown ponies, "That bug's your pet?"

"Yes he is", Luna reached out to give the giant bug a pat, "I-I thought you were gone forever"

"I was", the Nyx Assassin replied, "But by the grace of Nyx, I was reborn as her faithful servant"

"Nyx?", Luna asked

"She is the one who assigned me to be with you before my rebirth", the Nyx Assassin said, gently brushing Luna's hoof away,

"Why are you helping Loki then?", I asked

"Nyx has told me to eliminate him", the Nyx Assassin placed his claws near Thor

"Why? He's not the bad guy, Loki is", Rainbow Dash yelled

"I cannot disobey Nyx", he sternly replied

"Please, reconsider your actions", Luna pleaded

"That is out of the question, my friend. Even if I have doubts, I cannot question my goddess", the Nyx Assassin mumbled

"Doubts? What doubts?", Luna raised an eyebrow

"It was strange for Nyx to make me target an Asgardian, whose race with whom she had no quarrels before. That is the only doubt I had", the Nyx Assassin sharpened his claws before using Vendetta, disappearing from sight

"Hey, bug dude, can you do me a favour? It won't hurt", I said. I was pretty sure that Loki had something to do with this.

"What do you ask of me?", the Nyx Assassin reappeared

"Your mind's linked to your goddess, right? Well, I was wondering if I could you know, help you clear your doubts and shit", I offered

"Just how do you intend to do that?", he asked

"I'll link my mind to yours and subsequently to your goddess. That way, I will be able to find out if anything's wrong with her. Besides, I've got a major in fix-minds-using-magical-linkology", I smirked

"And leave her vulnerable to your deception? Never!", he angrily pointed his claws at me

"Bummer", Pinkie groaned

"Nerub, please, allow my brother to do this one thing", Luna said

After some seconds of hesitation, the Nyx Assassin finally gave in, "Alright. But remember, I'm only doing this because you are my friend", the Nyx Assassin replied

"Alright, here goes nothing", I readied myself before my horn glowed, linking my mind to the Nyx Assassin's. I could see every single kill he made; he worked kinda too messy for my likings so I decided to ignore it for now. Finally, I found the link to the goddess and took it.

"And phase two is underway", I grinned as I entered the goddess' mind, "What the heck?", I asked when I saw that her brain waves were distorted by some non-Equestrian magic

"What is wrong?", the Nyx Assassin asked

"Her mind….it looks like it's in pieces….like she's under someone's control or something", I replied, "I'll try to dispel it", I added before using my magic to fix the goddess' mind. Since her mind was under someone's manipulation, she had no idea I was entering her mind

"That must explain her erratic behavior in the last few days", the Nyx Assassin growled

"But who would do such a thing?", Celestia asked

"Loki!", Thor suddenly said, "That must be why your goddess sent you to kill me!"

"That seems like the logical answer but I cannot jump to mere assumptions", the Nyx Assassin replied before he turned to me, "Is this true?"

"I'll check her memory", I replied, making my way towards the memory bank. I dove in and saw her last memory, one in which she was approached by a man with gold horns who used a scepter to put her under his control, "Loki", I whispered to myself as I realized the identity of the man

"What is it?", the Nyx Assassin asked as I broke the links

"It was Loki. He used his scepter to manipulate your goddess so he could use you to eliminate Thor", I said,

"And is she back to normal now?", he fixed his eyes on me

"She is. She won't remember a thing though", I replied,

"I knew there was something wrong when she sent me after the Asgardian", the Nyx Assassin growled at the mere thought of having been used by a mere armorless being

"So, um could you get us out of here?", Applejack asked with a sheepish smile

"I cannot but the Asgardian can", the Nyx Assassin replied before he absorbed the magical bounds that restrained Thor

"Thank you for that, noble insect", Thor nodded, levitating his hammer. The next second, he used it to recall the electricity that trapped the rest of us, freeing us in a matter of seconds

"I am sorry for the altercation", the Nyx Assassin bowed before Thor

"All is forgiven, my friend. Loki's tricks can be quite hard to expose", Thor replied before he turned to me, "Good job, Prince Azel"

"Thanks, Hemsworth", I smirked before a magical shot suddenly knocked the Nyx Assassin down

"Who did that?", the Nyx Assassin growled as he looked around

"Nerub!", Luna screamed, galloping to the Nyx Assassin's side

"That, my naive little bug, is the price for turning your back on me", Loki suddenly appeared before shooting another shot, "And that is for knowing the truth", he smirked as he stared at the nearly knocked-out form of the Nyx Assassin

"Loki!", Thor yelled, lifting his hammer and preparing to strike his brother

"Missed", Loki grinned before disappearing with his scepter, "I've amassed enough magic from our conflicts. No one will stop me", he left with one final message

"We should all head over to Canterlot immediatlely", Thor said as he flapped his wings

"Thor, we'll reach Canterlot faster with our teleportation spell", Twilight stopped him

"Alright, then", Thor agreed before he stood with us, "What about the Nyx Assassin?", he asked

"I will be okay, go!", the Nyx Assassin told Luna as he clutched himself. However, Luna did not budge

"Sister, are you coming?", Celestia asked

"I'm not going anywhere", Luna gave the Nyx Assassin a smile, "I'll be here"

"No, you must stop Loki!", the Nyx Assassin shouted

"I will, but only after I finish healing you. I will not lose you again", Luna began to heal the Nyx Assassin's wounds, "Go, my sister. We will join you soon", she told Celestia

"We heard her. Let's get the fuck out of here", I said before I realized something, "Wait, we're teleporting! Crapppp!"

In a brilliant flash of light, we left the Tree of Harmony which was thankfully unharmed in any way.

"I'm gonna barf", I held my hooves to my mouth as we reached Canterlot

"Better?", Celestia asked as she casted a stabilization spell

"Better", I smirked before I saw Loki flying above the castle, "There's Loki", I pointed to him,

I looked around for some royal guards or something but it seemed like Loki had already gotten to all the guards and disposed of them or something. And as for the resident ponies, they were all locked up in their homes, preventing them from resisting whatever fucked up plan Loki was carrying out

"Let's kick his fucking ass!", I tried to fly towards him, only to find myself being tackled away from the others

"Miss me?", a familiar red unicorn grinned as he pointed his magical gun at me

"Deadpool", I scowled

"Oh no! it's Deadpool!", Applejack shouted when she saw the two of us

"Get off my brother!", Celestia prepared to blast Deadpool into oblivion

"Dude, is what-the-fuck-ever you're doing worth facing the wrath of sunbutt over there?", I grinned back

"Don't worry. I've got this natural enhanced regeneration shit so I'm not really that freaked out by anything", he shrugged before he turned to my sister, "Do what you want but it's not gonna stop me from blasting his fucking head off"

"Skcus taht llew", I groaned. It was "backwards" for "Well that sucks". What? I can talk backwards but it's only when I feel like shit just gone a whole new level or something

"You can talk backwards?", Deadpool raised an eyebrow

"Nac I erus", I replied

"Oot sdrawkcab klat nac I", he let me get to my feet much to everypony's surprise

"Never thought there would be someone else who would speak that shit", I smirked

"Ditto", he shrugged before extending his hoof for a hoofshake, "You have my respect, buddy"

"Ereh emas", I accepted the hoofshake with a smile

"You idiot! Kill him!", I heard Bane's voice

"No can do, Bane", Deadpool replied, "You do not kill a "backwards" buddy"

"For the love of…..", Bane grumbled before his voice dissolved in the cackling noises from Loki's magic

"Damn, what's Reindeer Games up to?", he asked me as he saw Loki

"The name's Loki. brother of Thor. Asgardian….and he's got a knack for fucking shit up", I replied

"Wanna blast that fucker's head off?", he grinned, holding his magical gun

"Ten bits says I get him first", I began charging magic

"Bits?", he raised an eyebrow

"It's the currency here", I shrugged before I noticed everypony still looking at me with mouths agape, "What?", I asked

"They're just mind fucked", Deadpool chuckled

"Yup, by the way, "backwards" buddy?", I held my hoof up

""Backwards" buddy", he gave me an assuring nod before giving me hoofbump, "Hey, if you're so awesome like me, why are you in a place like this?"

"Because I'm here to eat burgers and kick ass", I replied, materializing a magical gun of my own, "And I'm all outta burgers"

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_Near the Tree of Harmony in the Everfree Forest_

"Thank you, princess", the Nyx Assassin bowed after being completely healed

"It's no problem", Luna smiled as she stared at her former pet, "You have grown so much since I last saw you"

"I could say the same to you", he replied before he got up, preparing to leave

"Where are you going?", Luna asked

"Nyx calls me back, I have to leave", he answered

"Can't you stay for a while?", Luna fixed her eyes on his

"I cannot, for I am needed for another purpose", the Nyx Assassin slowly moved away from her

"Even after he made you go against your instincts, after he almost made you kill me, you are just going to walk away?", Luna yelled, "Don't you…..love me anymore?"

"I-I still do….I still have affection for you after you raised me but…", the Nyx Assassin tried to add something more but he realized it was no use

"But what? Do you know how much I cried for you when you passed away? When you were taken from me? Do understand that I had always longed for your return?", Luna asked as tears formed in her eyes, "Please, I need you now, my family and my friends and everypony else need you. If you are going to leave, I beg of you, do this one last favor for me"

"I can't. Loki has grown far too powerful for me to deal with", he said glumly

"Who said anything about doing this alone?", Luna gave him a smile

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

_Back at Canterlot_

"Look out!", Thor yelled as Loki's scepter beam blasted the ground, a few metres away from Twilight Sparkle

"Gotcha!", Applejack managed to grab Twilight before she was hit

"Thanks, Applejack", Twilight said

"Be a bit more careful, Twilight", I warned her, shooting magical shots at Loki, "We need all hooves on deck here"

"That motherfucker's got one mean defense", Deadpool grumbled as his and my shots simply exploded rather lamely against Loki's shield

"Twilight, why don't ya'll go rainbow and shit?", I suggested

"They can't do that. The new season's not out yet", Deadpool told me before the girls could hear what I said

"Say what?", I asked, puzzled at the reply

"Nevermind, just keep shooting", he said, continuing his attack on Loki

"Such futile efforts", Loki grinned before shooting a blue wave of energy towards Celestia who could barely destroy it

"How did he get so strong?", Celestia panted as she dodged another shot

"He must have gotten hold of some of Mjolnir's magic", Thor replied, "I can feel its magic inside of him", he added before he flew towards Loki, only to find himself being grabbed by his brother

"A little jealous, are you?", Loki smirked as he threw Thor towards Celestia, "You have Asgard so back off", he shot another blast from his scepter with the intention of annihilating Celestia and Thor

Fortunately, Twilight Sparkle managed to create a shield just in time and the two alicorns were left unharmed

"How are we going to beat him?", Rainbow Dash asked

"The scepter! The scepter!", Pinkie squealed

"I don't like the scepter very much", Fluttershy said timidly

The next second, Discord, who had been silently sitting in the sidelines, began pelting Loki with pebbles, catching the attention of him

"Oh, why hello, Discord", Loki grinned mischievously, "Came for another round?"

"Most definitely", the draconequus smirked before disappearing into nothing

"Discord!", Fluttershy eyes widened in shock when she saw her friend vanish, "What have you done to him?", she asked Loki

"Nothing", Loki simply replied, "However, it doesn't matter. If he was still here, he would be dead anyway"

"Heads up, Loki!", I shouted before I blasted Loki with a Counter Beam

"Silly prince", he smirked, shooting a blue beam towards me as I anticipated, "What?", he gasped as he witnessed the red beam absorbing his attack before it grew bigger

"Fuck ya!", I grinned as the Counter Beam made contact, instantly evaporating into a small explosion and a puff of black smoke and bringing smiles to the faces of everypony

"You will pay for that!", Loki growled, building up energy in his scepter

"Now where have I heard that before", I thought aloud before bracing myself for the inevitable impact

"Boom!", Deadpool yelled as a magical bullet hit Loki on the side of his head, knocking his horned helmet off, "Headshot!"

"I'm afraid I will have to do this, brother", Thor said lowly before decking Loki with his hammer, causing the green alicorn to crash to a cart below

"Enough of this!", Loki screamed aloud before he summoned a huge wave of magic from his scepter. The blue wave travelled along the ground, crippling everypony it touched, making them unable to move

"Argh!", I yelled as electricity shocked me when I tried to use my magic, "Guys, whatever you do, do not use your magic", I warned them

"What..what is this?", Rarity asked

"I can't move", Spike said

"Me neither", Rainbow Dash grunted as she tried to fly

"This is bad…this so bad…", Fluttershy hid her face behind her mane

"This time, there will be no mercy. I will have this realm under my rule and no one will deny me this", Loki growled as he turned his attention to my sister, "It's no use, princess. You were always destined for this", he grabbed her by the neck,

"You're a monster", Celestia told him

"Maybe I am", he pointed his scepter at her

"Deadpool, what the fuck are you doing?", I asked the unicorn as he charged his magical gun despite my warning

"Gonna give that fucker a piece of my mind", he smirked, emanating a purple aura, "And getting your sorry asses out of this in the process"

With that, Deadpool exuded all of Bane's magic from him, freeing all of us and somehow, increasing the magic of Twilight and her friends

"That worked better than expected", Deadpool grinned as he saw the rainbowfied mane six

"It's Rainbow Power time!", Pinkie exclaimed

"What is the meaning of this?", Loki was surprised to see us all free from his trap and the sudden rainbow-fication

"You, Loki, dared to threaten the safety of Equestria", Celestia said with a confident smile as she broke free from Loki's grasp, "You will pay now"

"What was that magic?", I asked Deadpool as the mane six shot a rainbow beam at Loki

"Bane's last remaining magic", Deadpool replied, watching the beam make contact with Loki

"I….will….not…lose…", Loki mumbled as he blocked the attack with his scepter, reflecting it towards me

"Oh no!", everypony gasped as the rainbow beam enveloped me

"Damn….", I said weakly before I lost consciousness. The last thing I saw was a small concentrated remnant of the beam hitting Loki's scepter, unnoticed by him.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

"Azel!", Twilight and her friends were the first to rush towards the fallen unicorn

"He's alive", Deadpool said coolly as he saw Azel's pulse

"Look what has happened, dear brother", Loki told Thor, "Everything that has transpired, it is all because of you and your so-called righteousness"

"Stop this madness! Your chaotic misdeeds have done far enough damage!", Thor retorted

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Nyx Assassin shot a bolt of Mana Burn at Loki, causing him to stagger backwards

"No one will harm the Princess of the Night!", the Nyx Assassin growled before he faded into the night

"Come out, come out wherever you are", Loki taunted while secretly creating a shield around him

"Die!", the Nyx Assassin appeared in front of Loki, slashing wildly at Loki's shield, trying to break through

"Back off, inferior being", Loki said before blasting the Nyx Assassin away

"The magic is still too strong. It is near impossible trying to destroy his shield", the Nyx Assassin told Thor as he landed on his four legs

"Azel, I'm sorry", Twilight began to shed tears over the motionless body of her friend

Without warning, Fluttershy suddenly got up and wiped her tears, eliciting a puzzled expression from everypony including Loki

"What is she going to do?", Deadpool asked Spike

"Uh-oh", Spike simply replied

"Loki!", she gave him The Stare

"Gawk!", Loki recoiled, dropping his scepter in the process

"Got it!", Discord suddenly reappeared below the green alicorn before grabbing the scepter and heading towards the others

"Discord!", Celestia's face lit up when she saw the draconequus

"Sorry for the short absence, I was waiting for that opportunity", he said before he handed the scepter to Thor.

"Grrr….", Loki gritted his teeth as he saw Thor wield his scepter

"Brother….you lose", Thor said, holding his hammer, "It ends here"

"Why you…", Loki flew towards Thor to retrieve his scepter. The next moment, Thor charged energy in the scepter and with that, he shot a bluish rainbow beam from the scepter, knocking Loki out instantly

"You will have a lot to answer for", Thor whispered to his brother's unconscious form while the other ponies cheered

"It's over….it's finally over", Luna heaved a sigh of relief as she arrived.

"What's going to happen to him?", Rarity asked Thor about Loki

"As much as he deserves to pay for the crimes he committed here, there's a lot more he has to answer for so just give me a testament to his crimes", Thor replied

"What about Azel?", Twilight asked as she and her friend's rainbow power disappeared

"He'll wake up soon", Celestia replied as she gently placed a hoof on her brother's head

"What happened to him?", Luna asked when she saw Azel

"He was hit with the rainbow beam when it bounced off Loki's shield", Pinkie replied

"He's not hurt, only knocked out", Rainbow Dash added before Azel's eyes opened up, revealing his blue pupils

**AZEL'S P.O.V.**

"Man, what the fuck happened?", I asked unconsciously as I opened my eyes before I noticed the smiles on the ponies around me, "Oh please, tell me no one kissed me", I quickly said

"Oh, Azel, you're finally awake!", Twilight hugged me before she separated rather quickly out of embarrassment

"Did we win?", I asked

"WE WON!", Pinkie shouted near my ear, "Can we have a party please? Please? Pretty please?", she bounced around me

"Hell yeah", I chuckled

"Loki's finally been defeated thanks to everyone", Deadpool pulled me to my feet

"It took everyone to defeat him", Rarity said

"And Bane's completely powerless now", Celestia added

"He'll face much needed justice soon", Thor assured us as he prepared to leave

"Come on! You're just gonna leave like that?", I raised an eyebrow

"Well, Loki might wake up anytime soon", Thor shrugged

"That's a good reason", I smirked before I turned to the girls, "Ya'll gonna give him "Thanks" or something?"

"Of course, why not?", Applejack walked towards Thor, "Well, thanks for helping us defeat your brother"

"Please, we were the ones creating trouble in your world. We apologize for that", Thor glared at Loki

"Yeahhh…what he said", Deadpool grinned

"We can't thank you enough for saving us", Rarity gave the Asgardian a smile

"What you did was totally awesome!", Rainbow Dash exclaimed

"Absolutely", Spike agreed

"We couldn't have done it without you", Twilight said

"Umm…thank you", Fluttershy added

"Ohmygoshyouaresoawesomeweshouldtotallyhaveapartythenexttimeyoucomehere", Pinkie blurted before she took a huge breath

"Ooookay…Pinkie of Pies", Thor smiled nervously

"I'll escort you to the Crystal Mirror", Celestia offered, "And please remember, after what you did for us, you'll always be welcomed here in Equestria"

"Thank you, fair princess", Thor nodded before carrying the lifeless body of Loki

"You goin' or what?", I asked Deadpool

"Oh, right", he chuckled before giving me a hoofbump, "I'll be seein' you later, "Backwards" buddy"

"Same to you", I smirked as Celestia teleported herself, the mane six, Deadpool and the two brothers towards Twilight's castle, leaving me, Discord, Luna and the Nyx Assassin.

"I'll be missing you", Luna shed some tears as she hugged the giant insect. Strangest. Sight. Ever.

"I will miss you too, Princess of the Night", the Nyx Assassin said before they separated

"Will I see you again?", Luna asked

"Have faith in that and it shall happen", the Nyx Assassin gave her a nod before he disappeared from sight

"You have to tell me about big bug dude", I smirked

"He's really all grown up now…..like me", Luna sighed while wiping her tears

"You think my entrance was pretty awesome, am I right?", Discord playfully floated around us

"What entrance?", I raised an eyebrow

"You didn't see me grab the….oh wait….you were knocked out", Discord chuckled

"Anyway, it is really fortunate we were able to put him out before he could succeed", Luna said with a smile

"So it took umm…..a sunbutt, a moonbutt, a bookworm, a designer, a mercenary, a party planner, a beast, a Wondercolt wannabe, a DotA hero, an animal whisperer, a chaotic asshole, Chris Hemsworth, doge dragon and a farm mare to beat Tom Hiddleston? Sounds like a bad joke", I said sarcastically, "At least I still have burgers", I shrugged

"And we don't have to worry about my father anymore", Discord smiled

"Yep, that's the best fucking thing to happen since burgers!", I exclaimed

"Come on, let's head inside and help the guards", Luna said before we followed her

"Wonder what Bane might think about his non-existent magic", a thought crossed my mind.

**NORMAL P.O.V.**

_In the depths of Tartarus…..yet again_

"What do you want?", Bane weakly asked the armored pony standing in front of me

"You disgust me...you failed me...", the figure's eyes glowed a brilliant red

"Talk about karma", Tirek smirked in the distance

"It is time to take matters into my own hooves", the figure growled while flapping his wings

Unknown to them, a unicorn was hearing their every conversation behind them.

"Must…warn….my….mother", the cyan maned light green unicorn panted as he galloped towards the exit.

**A/N : Thanks for reading this one, the next one will be out soon. Please do leave a review and follow this story if you like it. And since I'm gonna redo some of the previous chapters, it might take a while to upload a new chapter so I might take a week at most to upload Chapter 34.**


End file.
